Interceptor Ignition Interlocks Inc. and AT&T Unite to Help Make Roads Safer

SHIRLEY, N.Y., March 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- According to the U.S. Dept of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32 people in the United States die every day in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, amounting to one death every 45 minutes(1). Further, roughly one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) are repeat offenders(2).

Interceptor Ignition Interlocks Inc. has teamed up with AT&T* to help prevent drunk driving, particularly to prevent convicted DUI offenders from repeat occurrences of driving while intoxicated. The company has introduced Interceptor, a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) that measures Breath Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in vehicles and uses AT&T's wireless network to transmit the recorded results. The ability to wirelessly transfer data in real-time is a patented feature exclusive to the Interceptor product line.

Under an agreement with AT&T, Interceptor Ignition Interlocks Inc. has installed AT&T SIM cards into its Interceptor devices to support real-time transfer of recorded in-vehicle data to local police or designated probation officers. Here's how it works: every time a driver previously convicted of driving while intoxicated operates a vehicle equipped with the Interceptor, the driver's name, date, time, BAC reading, photo and current GPS location are transmitted to the probation or court Web site in real-time, enabling the monitoring officer to view vehicle activity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This data is sent across AT&T's wireless network and reported to officials via an AT&T Central Information Portal.

The Interceptor requires drivers to be tested before starting the vehicle and periodically throughout the duration of the drive. If at any time the test indicates legal limits have been exceeded, the Interceptor will either prevent the car from starting, or will deliver an automated voice prompt to the driver to turn off the engine. In the event a driver does not shut off the vehicle's engine, the Interceptor triggers a series of events: the car's lights flash; the car's horn is activated continuously; the local 911 police emergency response dispatcher is alerted via the central information portal; and the dispatcher directs police to intercept the targeted vehicle immediately.

"We designed this device to detect blood alcohol levels in the breath of drivers previously convicted of driving while intoxicated and to ensure that violators are instantly and simultaneously reported to authorities and prevented from operating their vehicle," said John Ruocco, CEO of Interceptor Ignition Interlocks Inc. "The ultimate success of any Interceptor Ignition Interlocks solution depends on having a strong communications network that has real-time reporting capabilities to ensure quick action can be taken when violations occur. AT&T's wireless solutions and network were the clear choice for us and we look forward to working together to help keep drunk drivers off the road."  

The Interceptor device is typically court-ordered for drivers who have a previous DUI conviction. However, with the enforcement of Leandra's Law, which goes into effect in August 2010, first-time offenders in New York will be mandated by the court to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle. The Interceptor can also be used proactively by private businesses such as taxi, limousine and trucking companies to monitor all commercially licensed drivers. New and young drivers can also be monitored by parents and guardians using a "parental control" option.  

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*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

(1)Dept of Transportation (US), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Traffic Safety Facts 2008: Alcohol-Impaired Driving. Washington (DC): NHTSA; 2009. Available at URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811155.PDF

(2) Dept of Transportation (US), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Traffic Safety Facts 2004: Repeat Intoxicated Driver Laws. Washington (DC). Available at URL: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/new-fact-sheet03/RepeatIntoxicated.pdf

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