An Open Request to Shia LaBeouf from Mothers Against Drunk Driving

To protect the safety of his family and the citizens of his community, Mothers Against Drunk Driving calls on Shia LaBeouf to voluntarily install ignition interlock devices on all vehicles registered in his name, in addition to completing the official punishment/sanctions that may be levied in the event of his conviction for DUI.

An ignition interlock is a breath test device linked to a vehicle’s ignition system and is normally mandated to convicted drunk drivers as a condition of probation. We hope Mr. LaBeouf will voluntarily use the opportunity of his DUI arrest to educate his fans – and the country – about this life-saving device by installing the device on his vehicles.

Ignition interlocks are proven effective tool in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and save lives.

• Ignition interlocks reduce drunk driving offenses by an average of 65 percent.
• Ignition interlocks have the potential to save more than 4,000 lives now taken in repeat drunk driving crashes annually.
• A majority of American citizens (65 percent) support the use of ignition interlocks as a sanction for first-time convicted drunk drivers.
• A full 85 percent support ignition interlocks for repeat offenders.

States across the nation are turning to the alcohol ignition interlock to help prevent drunk driving tragedies. Just this year, four states – Washington, Nebraska, Alaska and Colorado – expanded the use of alcohol ignition interlocks to include all convicted drunk drivers. MADD lobbied the California state legislature this year to pass similar legislation and plans to make the expanded use of interlocks in California its top priority next year.

MADD believes the tools are now at hand to eliminate drunk driving from the United States. The Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, launched in November 2006, has four elements: intensive, high-visibility law enforcement, full implementation of alcohol ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, development of advanced vehicle technologies to prevent drunk driving and grassroots support led by MADD and its 400+ affiliates, to make the elimination of drunk driving a reality.