Research leads to bills that protect children from drinking drivers
CDC’s findings about the number of children killed in cars driven by drinking drivers has led legislators in several states to introduce bills to help protect them from drinking drivers. Such legislation creates special penalties under state child abuse laws for persons who transport children while driving drunk. Results from the study showed that nearly two-thirds of children killed in drinking driver-related crashes were riding with the impaired driver. Fewer than 20 percent of the children killed were properly restrained at the time of the crash, and restraint use decreased as the driver’s blood alcohol concentration increased.

Quinlan KP, Brewer RD, Sleet DA, Dellinger AM. Child passenger deaths and injuries involving drinking drivers. JAMA 2000:283(17):2249–52.