January 6, 2019, marks the day my world irrevocably shattered. It was the day I lost my entire family in a senseless tragedy, a nightmare scenario brought to life by the reckless actions of another. My sister Rima, my brother-in-law Issam, my two precious nieces, Isabella and Giselle, and my nephew Ali were all traveling back from a family vacation in Florida. As they drove along I-75 through Lexington, Kentucky, their journey was brutally cut short. A drunk driver, going the wrong way, collided head-on with their SUV, instantly killing all five of them. Five incredible souls, a whole family, my family – vanished in a blink.
The Abbas Family: Remembering Rima, Issam, Isabella, Giselle, and Ali, victims of drunk driving on January 6, 2019. This photo underscores the fight for families against drunk driving and the need for impaired driving prevention technology.
The man responsible for this devastation was operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit. It’s a chilling thought that despite such extreme impairment, he was still able to get behind the wheel and drive. Since that horrific day, I’ve learned that technology exists that could have prevented this tragedy, technology that could have stopped that drunk driver and saved my family. This realization has fueled my fight for my family and for countless others who are vulnerable to this preventable crime.
I have joined forces with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), standing shoulder to shoulder with other courageous victims and survivors. We are fortunate to have champions in Congress like Debbie Dingell from my home state of Michigan, Senator Ben Ray Luján, and numerous other lawmakers who understand the urgency of this issue. Together, we are working tirelessly to ensure that impaired driving prevention technology becomes standard in every new vehicle. This isn’t just about honoring my family; it’s about fighting for every family’s right to safety on the road.
However, our progress is now under threat. Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, representing a community near where my family was killed – in a state tragically experiencing a 21% surge in drunk driving fatalities since 2019 – has proposed an amendment that would dismantle all the strides we’ve made. This amendment to a U.S. Department of Transportation funding bill, scheduled for a vote next week, seeks to repeal a crucial provision of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This provision, known as the Honoring Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act in loving memory of my family, mandates the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a rule requiring automakers to integrate impaired driving prevention technology into all new vehicles by November 15, 2024.
Congressman Massie’s amendment is not just a setback; it’s a personal affront. I am deeply offended and frankly, outraged by his actions. Watching him misrepresent this life-saving technology and its purpose to his congressional colleagues during a recent hearing was horrifying. It’s crucial to set the record straight: this technology is not some invasive government overreach.
Let’s be unequivocally clear: this technology is designed to deter those who are actively breaking the law by driving under the influence. It is not a “kill switch” for law enforcement or a tool for government control, despite the baseless conspiracy theories circulating. The dangerous and false narrative that this technology will randomly stop cars driven by “bad drivers” is pure misinformation, deliberately designed to undermine our progress in ending drunk and impaired driving.
The statistics surrounding drunk driving are staggering and heartbreaking. Every single day in America, 37 lives are lost, and over 1,000 people are injured in drunk driving crashes. Alarmingly, a growing number of drivers involved in fatal and serious injury crashes are testing positive for drugs other than alcohol, exacerbating the crisis. And in recent years, drunk driving deaths have tragically skyrocketed, escalating from approximately 10,000 annually to over 13,000. Impaired driving prevention technology offers a tangible solution. When fully implemented, it is estimated to save a staggering 10,100 lives each year, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
We are not helpless in the face of this epidemic. We have a solution within reach. The HALT Act is law, directing the U.S. Department of Transportation to rigorously evaluate, test, and establish a rule for implementing this vital auto safety technology in new vehicles. This is the same proven process that brought us essential safety features like seatbelts, airbags, and backup cameras, all of which were once met with skepticism. The rulemaking process is precisely the appropriate avenue to thoroughly assess and address any legitimate questions or concerns about the technology’s development, ensuring it meets the HALT Act requirements effectively and responsibly. However, if Representative Massie’s amendment succeeds, this crucial process will be abruptly halted, leaving families vulnerable.
It is not wrong to scrutinize and question the parameters of any auto safety standard. Open discussion and engagement on matters of such importance, impacting every one of us, are essential. The same level of scrutiny and action is undeniably necessary when addressing impaired driving, a tragedy that, as I have learned in the most devastating way, can strike any of us, at any time. For the sake of protecting all families, for acknowledging the millions of victims and survivors like myself who live with this pain every day, I implore Representative Massie and his colleagues in Congress to abandon any attempts to obstruct progress towards a future where technology prevents illegally impaired drivers from causing further heartbreak and loss. We must continue Fighting For My Family, fighting for your family, and fighting for safer roads for everyone.
