Mothers Against Drunk Driving has named state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) as its 2019 Legislator of the Year.
The award was for his “passion and dedication” for eliminating drunk driving.
Hammoud authored legislation to create an all-offender ignition interlock law and to lower the threshold for impaired driving in Michigan to .05 blood alcohol concentration. The current legal driving limit is .08.
“MADD was proud to stand with Rep. Hammoud in March to announce our first-ever endorsement of a .05 BAC law,” MADD National President Helen Witty, said. “A growing and undeniable body of research shows that critical driving skills are impaired at .05. BAC, significantly increasing the risk of a deadly crash. In addition, we know that requiring ignition interlocks for every drunk driving offender can reduce these deaths by 16 percent.”
According to MADD, Hammoud is one of six lawmakers across the country they are recognizing with the award this year.
“I am fully committed to working with partners like MADD to make our roads safer, and I am humbled to receive this award,” Hammoud said. “I believe a bold policy agenda is the only way we can achieve our goals on this critical issue. I will continue to diligently advocate for saving lives through efforts to reduce drunk driving.”
