Many California residents have heard the sobering statistics about drunk driving related deaths. In the United States 30 people on average die every day in automobile accidents where the driver was drunk. This means approximately one person dies every 48 minutes.

These numbers leave some people wondering why more is not being done to take advantage of technology that already exists that could minimize this number or erase it completely. The hardware and the software exist to prevent automobiles from starting when the driver has an alcohol blood level that is over the legal limit.

This issue has led Senators Tom Udall and Rick Scott to introduce a bill that would require automobile manufacturers to include alcohol detection hardware and software in new vehicles. The goal is for the law to be enforced by the year 2024.

This proposed legislation does more than simply require car manufacturers to include new hardware and software. It also creates a pilot program where software and hardware can be tested in government and private vehicles. The results of the pilot program will be reviewed after the first 12 months. From there, it will be reviewed every 180 days. The idea is for the law to be in force within two years of the pilot program being introduced.

Many lawmakers feel that up to 7,000 lives could be saved every year if this technology is implemented. Part of this law includes funding that can be used by education centers, engineers and software developers to help perfect the software that would be used in these vehicles.

Being the victim of a car accident where a negligent individual was under the influence of alcohol is devastating. In some cases, the individual who caused the accident walks away unharmed because of their inebriated state, leaving their victims with personal injuries that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. In cases like these, the victim may want to talk to a personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney may work to uncover the particulars of the case, deal with insurance agents and help their client fight for their due compensation in court.