Feds Need Permission to Ask Permission About Drunk Driving Lights
Published Date: 12/15/2025
Notice
Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants your thoughts on a new info collection to help develop a cool new warning light that stops drunk driving. This affects drivers, car makers, and safety fans, with comments due by February 13, 2026. No big costs yet, just a chance to shape safer roads with smart tech!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Alcohol-dosed participants face special rules
Participants in alcohol-dosed visits will be given alcohol to reach an approximate BrAC of .08 g/210L, must remain at the lab until their BrAC is at or below .03 g/210L, and must sign an agreement that they will not drive, bike, or walk home. Study planning assumes 21-and-older participants for alcohol-dosed visits.
Only Eastern Iowa adults can be recruited
NHTSA's study will recruit individuals 18 and older from Eastern Iowa and surrounding areas to take surveys or visit the driving lab. Businesses are not eligible; the targeted sample sizes include 550 for the online survey and a total estimated 1,350 respondents across all study components.
Non-dosing participants may pay travel costs
Study participants who travel to the driving lab may incur local transportation costs estimated up to $42 (calculated at $0.70 per mile for a 60-mile round trip). The docket estimates total transportation costs for 65 sober visit participants of $2,730.
Medical and screening tests required for participants
Participants must complete intake procedures that include breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) readings, urine samples for drug testing, pregnancy testing when required, and baseline vitals (blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry, temperature). These procedures occur for both sober and alcohol-dosed visits as part of eligibility confirmation.
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