WHITE PLAINS, NY – Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (Westchester/Rockland), the Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, today was joined by White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Westchester Chapter President Carole Sears, Director of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety Bud Zaouk, recent Ossining HS graduate Ana Priego, and local law enforcement at the White Plains Public Safety Headquarters to urge responsible driving during Labor Day Weekend. Lowey also highlighted her legislation to increase federal investments in promising new technology called the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) research program, and demonstrated the technology using a simulation vehicle at the event.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today joined with members of Congress, safety advocates and industry representatives at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s headquarters to highlight advances in the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) program, a research partnership between NHTSA and an industry consortium to develop technology to prevent alcohol-impaired drivers from operating their vehicles while under the influence. The event featured the unveiling of a test vehicle equipped with mock-up DADSS technology that researchers will use to examine driver interactions with the system.

The DADSS program will be an exhibitor at the 24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), June 8-11, 2015, in Gothenburg, Sweden. The exhibit will include an in-vehicle simulation of the breath-based system and prototypes of the touch-based technology. Information will also be shared on the program’s goals and how the technology can be integrated in vehicles and made available to the general public.

The first working prototypes of systems to prevent drunk drivers from starting their cars were demonstrated in Waltham yesterday, at an event attended by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.