Ignition interlock installation is affordable across the states and helps avoid the much money spent after road accidents. Some states have set up programs that assist low-income clients with ignition interlock installation costs. According to a report by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), installing an ignition interlock costs approximately $70 to $150 (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Furthermore, the device monitoring and calibration costs around $60 and $80 (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). The total annual cost of installation and calibration, including breathalyzers’ monitoring costs, is $1000 (NHTSA 7). Ignition interlock installation could help avoid the expenses of road accidents, including medical fees, burial costs, car repair, and save the money lost due to reduced workplace productivity.
Loss of lives is costly to the victims’ families, who are left to take care of the orphans and close family members of the deceased. Road accidents might involve family breadwinners who care for their families’ basic needs. Upon the breadwinner’s death, the immediate family members become dependent on other family members. The dead’s families incur the burial costs and take care of the deceased’s children. In the United States, funeral costs may go as high as $7000, depending on the type of funeral services the family prefers (Whitley et al.). The burial costs are more expensive than breathalyzers’ installation costs. Extending the deceased’s children’s financial needs to close family members is costly since it involves extra expenditure. The victim’s family is often left in financial hardship upon their member’s death.
The use of breathalyzers among vehicles is economically beneficial since it helps avoid straining the financial costs of road accidents. The U.S government has been on the frontline in advocating for affordable interlock ignition installation that helps prevent road accidents. Furthermore, the current installation cost of the breathalyzers is affordable among Americans with average income salaries. Road accidents result in death and destruction of property, including the cars involved. Loss of lives is also inevitable during fatal road accidents causing grief and economic loss among the victims’ families. The accidents might also cause permanent medical conditions that are expensive to treat. Installation of ignition interlock helps save the costs incurred in medical expenses, car repair, burial expenses, among other consequences of road accidents.
Breathalyzers help prevent road accidents that have long-term effects on the economy and victims’ families’ livelihoods. Loss of life has a long-term impact on the deceased families since they have to survive without their loved ones. Furthermore, the family has to adopt new roles and identify financial streaming channels, especially if the deceased was the family breadwinner. Some road accidents have led to many students dropping out of school due to a lack of school fees. The children might have depended on their parents, who died in the road accident. Dropping out of school may lead to indulgence in crimes that may be costly to the family of the deceased and the society at large. Installing breathalyzers in vehicles is beneficial as it helps the victims’ families avoid future expenses.
Interlock ignition installation is a valuable investment among countries since it helps avoid the cost future cost of road accidents. The economic performance depends on the companies’ effectiveness (World Bank 12). The companies rely on human resources who know to improve the production system. Road accidents that lead to loss of lives may lead to loss of crucial professionals in the economic system. The companies might be forced to outsource similar services, which could be expensive. A country with reduced road accident rates spends less money outsourcing public assistance and medical equipment. Furthermore, the government will spend less money on orphanages. Therefore, investing in breathalyzers’ installation is valuable to the country and the victims’ families since they avoid future expenses.
Various factors affect the adoption of breathalyzers among the drivers. Through sensitivity analysis, factors such as the installation costs, monthly recalibrating costs, government interventions, and individual perceptions may affect the rate of interlock ignition installation. Over time, the breathalyzer’s installation costs have decreased drastically to allow everyone to afford it. The breathalyzers were expensive in the past compared to the current installation prices ( Riordan et al. 4). Consequently, many drivers have been influenced to purchase and install breathalyzers.
The U.S government has intervened to reduce the price of breathalyzers installation. Furthermore, the policymakers have been actively involved in legislating laws against driving under the influence of alcohol. Different states in the U.S impose penalties on those found driving while drunk (Edgar Snyder). The hash penalties have influenced the drivers to install the breathalyzers to avoid accidents and jurying innocent pedestrians. Furthermore, personal traumatic experiences greatly influence the possibility of installing breathalyzers. Drivers who have been involved in road accidents but survived would install the devices. The drivers who have lost family members to drunk driving would also install breathalyzers to avoid accidents. Several factors sensitized installation and adoption of breathalyzer uses among the drivers, and the elements may positively or negatively influence the installation process.
Cited Works
Edgar Snyder. “Drunk Driving Laws and Penalties by State.” Edgarsnyder.com, Web.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “Ignition Interlocks, One Year Later.” madd.org, 2017. Web.
NHTSA. “Alcohol Ignition Interlock Use Rates Following Changes in Interlock Legislation.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2020.
Riordan, Benjamin C., et al. “The accuracy and promise of personal breathalyzers for research: Steps toward a cost-effective reliable measure of alcohol intoxication.” Digital health 3 (2017). Web.
Whitley, Sarah C., et al. “Relational Spending in Funerals: Caring for Others Loved and Lost.” Journal of Consumer Psychology (2021). Web.
World Bank (2017). The high toll of traffic injuries: Unacceptable and Preventable. [online] Washington: World Bank Group, p.11. Web.