California to test requiring ignition interlock devices for drunken drivers

October 11th, 2009 California leaders try again for water dealSACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders were trying to work out a water deal Sunday as a midnight deadline neared for the governor to act on more than 700 bills.

September 30th, 2009 LaHood: Distracted driving a 'menace to society'WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called distracted driving a "menace to society" Wednesday, kicking off a two-day meeting on preventing drivers from using mobile devices behind the wheel. The Obama administration reported that nearly 6,000 people were killed and a half-million injured last year in vehicle crashes connected to driver distraction, including drivers talking on cell phones and texting.

September 30th, 2009 LaHood: Distracted driving a 'menace to society'WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called distracted driving a "menace to society" Wednesday, kicking off a two-day meeting on preventing drivers from using mobile devices behind the wheel. The Obama administration reported that nearly 6,000 people were killed and a half-million injured last year in vehicle crashes connected to driver distraction, a striking indication of the dangers of talking on cell phones and texting while driving.

September 23rd, 2009 Obama's pick of industry lobbyist draws fireWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's nomination of a trucking industry lobbyist to head the agency that regulates the industry drew fire Wednesday from senators and safety advocates. Anne Ferro, the president and CEO of the Maryland Motor Truck Association for the past six years, was named to head the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a troubled agency that has been widely criticized for allowing safety recommendations to languish for years without action.

September 17th, 2009 Wis. passes tougher drunken driving billMADISON, Wis. — Unlike the criminal penalties it can draw elsewhere, a first-time drunken driving offense in Wisconsin will still mean a mere traffic ticket under a proposal lawmakers have touted as getting tough on the issue.

September 11th, 2009 Ford backs bill to ban texting while drivingWASHINGTON — Ford said Thursday it backs federal legislation pressuring states to ban texting while driving in an effort to reduce driver distractions that could lead to accidents. In a statement, Ford safety executive Sue Cischke cited research that shows drivers who take their eyes off the road for extended periods increase the risk of accidents.

September 7th, 2009 China reverses death penalty in drunk driving caseBEIJING — An appeals court in China overturned the death penalty Tuesday in a drunk driving case, sentencing the defendant instead to life imprisonment. Sun Weiming, 30, was sentenced to death after being convicted for a fatal accident last December that killed four people and injured another in southwestern Chengdu.

August 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Nearly 65 percent of around 12,000 road accidents in the national capital in 2008 were caused by drunk drivers, according to a new report prepared by an NGO. The 2009 Delhi Drunken Driving Report prepared by the Campaign Against Drunken Driving (CADD) says Delhi loses 1,500 people every year in accidents caused by drunk drivers.

August 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In an emerging trend, over 90 percent kidnappings in the capital were done by people known to the victims, Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal said Wednesday.

August 6th, 2009 NY crash victims' kin to campaign vs DWIYONKERS, N.Y. — The family of two men killed in the "wrong-way crash" on New York's Taconic State Parkway say they'll use the tragedy to campaign against drunken driving.

July 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As many 609 people were fined Friday night for drunken driving, a Delhi Police official said Saturday. The checking was conducted between 9 p.m.

July 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As many as 384 people were booked Friday night for drunken driving, a Delhi Police official said Saturday. Traffic police have been constantly campaigning against drunken driving by educating the road-users and carrying out prosecution of those found guilty, the official said.

July 9th, 2009 Calif. high court: Breath test accuracy can varySAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court has joined a handful of other courts in the country that have said Breathalyzer results mean different things for different people and ruled that suspected drunken drivers can attack the test results in court. Defense attorneys lauded Thursday's unanimous ruling for deferring to science, which has shown for years that the test results are highly variable.

May 12th, 2009 Obama pick for highway safety post withdrawsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's choice to lead a federal highway safety agency has withdrawn his name for the post, the White House said Tuesday. The Obama administration said in April it intended to nominate Chuck Hurley to become the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

April 24th, 2009 Colo. Senate panel backs cell phone billDENVER — A bill requiring drivers to use handsfree devices while talking on cell phones is advancing at the state Capitol, but it could run into trouble later. The Senate Finance Committee backed the measure (House Bill 1094) in a 4-3 vote Thursday.