New motor vehicle laws has been passed by the Maryland General Assembly during its 2016 session  and this will take effect on Saturday.

The list of new laws that will affect Maryland drivers included the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016, also known as Noah’s Law, which had been signed into law by Gov. Larry Hogan on May 19.

Noah's Law has been named in honor of Montgomery County Police Officer Noah A. Leotta, who had been struck by a drunken driver while pulling over another suspected drunken driver during a holiday patrol and died a few days later.

Noah's Law mandates the use of an ignition interlock for those convicted of drunken driving and will significantly increase administrative driver’s license suspension periods. An ignition interlock is a device that prevents a vehicle from starting when it detects a certain level of alcohol on the driver's breath and requires the driver to retest at random points while he or she is driving.

Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn said, "Drunk driving kills, and ignition interlock is a key tool to end drinking and driving”.

Impaired drivers have accounted for roughly one-third of all road deaths in Maryland in the last five years. Under Noah's Law, drivers have to participate in Maryland’s Ignition Interlock Program.

By Prakriti neogi