New technology will help combat drunk driving in commercial vehicles

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A collaborative effort is now underway to combat drunk driving by commercial vehicle operators in the commonwealth, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced Wednesday.

The DMV partnered with the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) and Schneider trucking company to make Schneider the first truckload carrier to conduct a trial deployment of new technology through the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) Program.

“Virginians should be proud of our state’s leadership in public safety and technology innovation,” Virginia DMV Commissioner Richard Holcomb said. “The progress we have made since 2018 has advanced this game-changing anti-drunk driving technology, and I am excited to see how this new deployment will bring the technology one step closer to saving countless lives on our roadways.”

Schneider innovated the implementation of speed limiters in vehicles in the 1980s and continues to be an early adopter of other safety tech. The alcohol detecting breath sensors will not allow a driver to operate the vehicle if their blood alcohol content is above a certain threshold.

“Safety comes first at Schneider, always, and we believe in going above and beyond industry standards. We look forward to the opportunity to pilot groundbreaking safety technology developed to help save lives,” Schneider Vice President of Safety, Driver Training and Compliance Tom DiSalvi said. “We know our team of professional drivers will embrace this technology because, just as with previous safety enhancements, they will be part of a solution that will make our highways safer.”

Eight Schneider cabs will be outfitted with the breath sensors early next year, logging more than 100,000 sensor miles for each truck.