Starting October 1, a new law in Maryland requires all impaired driving offenders, even those given probation before judgment, to install an ignition interlock system in their vehicle. This measure, signed by Governor Wes Moore in May 2023, aims to reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes by expanding Noah’s Law, which initially applied only to those convicted of DUI offenses. The law’s expansion closes a significant loophole, as 60% of DUI/DWI offenders in 2023 received probation and previously were not required to install the device.
Earlier today, the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA), state legislators, and highway safety advocates gathered to highlight the new law’s impact on improving road safety. The event included key organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), and Responsibility.org, along with the family of fallen Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta, for whom the original law is named.
Officer Noah Leotta’s Legacy Expands
The Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016, widely known as Noah’s Law, was passed after Officer Noah Leotta was killed by a drunk driver while on duty. Under the original law, those convicted of alcohol-related driving offenses were required to install an ignition interlock system—a device that prevents a vehicle from starting if the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeds a certain level. However, probation before judgment, commonly granted to first-time offenders, allowed many to avoid the interlock requirement.
“This legislation, taking effect on October 1st, will undoubtedly save the lives of Marylanders,” said State Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D-District 18), the Senate bill sponsor. Waldstreicher worked alongside families affected by drunk driving to push for the expanded law, which ensures that all offenders, regardless of conviction status, must participate in the ignition interlock program.
Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Moore’s Highway Safety Representative, praised the collaboration between advocates, lawmakers, and partners to achieve the goal of eliminating impaired driving in Maryland. “The data is clear that ignition interlock systems work by reducing the likelihood that first-time, repeat, and high-risk offenders will drive impaired again,” Nizer said.
Ignition Interlock Program Successes
The Maryland Ignition Interlock Program is managed by the MDOT MVA. An ignition interlock device connects to a vehicle’s ignition system and requires the driver to blow into a breathalyzer. If the BAC exceeds the legal limit, the vehicle will not start. Data from the device is recorded and sent to the MVA every 30 days for compliance review.
Advocates, such as Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (D-13, Howard County), who sponsored the House bill (HB 105), have long pushed for this legal change. “Drunk drivers are responsible for one-third of all Maryland traffic fatalities,” said Atterbeary. “Our new full-strength ignition interlock law will change driver behavior and save lives while curbing the drunk driver re-offending rate by up to 75%.”
Over the years, ignition interlocks have prevented thousands of impaired driving incidents. In 2023 alone, the devices prevented more than 8,000 attempts to operate a vehicle by drivers with BACs over the legal limit in Maryland. According to MADD, since the program’s inception, more than 76,800 attempts to start or operate vehicles have been blocked when drivers registered a BAC greater than 0.02.
“For almost a decade, I’ve worked to get Noah’s Law passed to implement tangible accountability standards for drunk and impaired drivers,” said Delegate Atterbeary. “This could not have happened without the unwavering advocacy of Marylanders who have lost loved ones at the hands of drunk drivers.”
Advocates See Broad Impact
The expansion of Noah’s Law has received widespread support from Maryland’s highway safety partners. “Last year alone, ignition interlocks prevented more than 8,000 drunk driving incidents in Maryland. Imagine how many more will be prevented and how many more lives can be saved now that Noah’s Law is expanded,” said Rich Leotta, the father of Officer Noah Leotta. “More than ever, Maryland is #NoahStrong.”
Kurt Erickson, President of WRAP and a strong proponent of the law, noted that more than half of DUI offenders had previously received probation and escaped the interlock requirement. “Maryland’s newest drunk driving law simply looks to ensure public safety along that route currently used by half of persons arrested for drunk driving in the state,” Erickson said.
MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart emphasized the broader impact of Maryland’s expanded law on national efforts to reduce impaired driving. “Drunk driving kills or injures someone every 78 seconds nationwide,” Stewart said. “By closing the loophole in Noah’s Law and requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk drivers, Maryland is now a model for other states to follow.”
A Step Toward Safer Roads
The expanded ignition interlock requirement marks a significant step toward reducing impaired driving incidents and fatalities in Maryland. Over the past five years, nearly 800 people have died and 15,000 have been injured in crashes involving an impaired driver in the state. Nationally, impaired driving continues to account for nearly one-third of all roadway fatalities.
With the new law, Maryland hopes to make its roads safer by holding all DUI offenders accountable, helping prevent repeat offenses, and ultimately saving lives.
