[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 164 (Monday, October 23, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      DRUNK DRIVING PREVENTION ACT

 Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I am joining Senator Dorgan in 
introducing the Drunk Driving Prevention Act of 1995. I urge my 
colleagues to lend their support to this important piece of 
legislation.
  The Drunk Driving Prevention Act of 1995 would require States to take 
a commonsense approach to preventing drunk driving accidents and 
deaths. The legislation would require the transfer of certain Federal 
highway funds to a State's highway safety program if a State fails to 
prohibit open containers of alcoholic beverages and consumption of 
alcoholic beverages in the passenger's area of motor vehicles. 
Sanctions under the bill would not go into effect until fiscal year 
2000, so States will have ample time to comply with this law.
  I have always been a strong supporter of efforts to eliminate the 
needless slaughter of innocent men, women, and children on our Nation's 
highways. I sponsored the legislation that established the 21 minimum 
drinking age law. That legislation has been credited with saving some 
9,000 lives and 120,600 injuries over the last 10 years.
  Even with efforts like the ``21'' bill, the killing continues. Last 
year, nearly 17,000 people were needlessly killed in alcohol-related 
traffic accidents. That amounts to one alcohol-related death every 30 
minutes. The repercussions of impaired driving continue to cost our 
society some $46 billion each year in direct costs, with approximately 
$5.5 billion allotted for medical care.
  Mr. President, we all know that mixing alcohol and driving is a 
deadly combination. Unfortunately, 26 States in this country allow the 
consumption of alcohol in motor vehicles. This is an open invitation to 
disaster and an outrage that must be stopped.
  I commend my friend from North Dakota for his tenacity on this issue 
and I am proud to join him in his effort to make our Nation's roads 
safer.

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