The Drunk Driving Warning System (DDWS) is a vehicle-mounted device for testing driver impairment and activating alarms. The driver must pass a steering competency test in order to drive the car in a normal manner. The emergency flasher system operates when the test is failed;​ and if the car is driven faster than 10 mph, the horn honks periodically, once per second. The DDWS concept and hardware were developed on previous projects. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of the concept, both in its sensitivity to alcohol impairment and in terms of various practical considerations in assigning the device to DWIs as a judicial sanction in a probationary setting.

This paper describes the field test conducted to 1) test the performance of DDWS in an operational setting, and 2) identify and solve the practical operational issues related to DDWS implementation through a municipal court system under various state laws and state agency operating procedures. Based on analysis of field test results and comparison with previous laboratory findings, the DDWS is shown to effectively detect driver impairment. Implementation of DDWS through a court system with assistance of state agencies is shown to be feasible. The practicality of future implementation on a wider scale is discussed, including issues concerning hardware, effectiveness, and ultimate drunk driving deterrence.