A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Closing Ignition Interlock Loophole for MD Drunk Drivers

creative commons

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A measure in Maryland aims close a loophole in a law requiring drunk drivers to put ignition interlocks in their vehicles after a first offense of driving under the influence.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving and lawmakers are holding a news conference Wednesday to talk about it. They want to close a loophole in the 2016 law that enables offenders who are granted probation before judgment to avoid installing ignition interlocks.

The law is known as "Noah's Law." It's named after Officer Noah Leotta, who was killed while working on a driving-under-the-influence assignment by a drunk driver.

It covers drivers with blood alcohol contents of 0.08 or greater. The devices require drivers to blow into them to start their cars to determine whether they've had too much to drink.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.