Some 80 years ago, John Ruocco’s then 16-year-old uncle was struck and killed by a drunk driver in the Bronx. Although it happened years before he was born, Ruocco grew up hearing about the tragedy from his parents, who witnessed it, and vowed to do something about drunk driving. A couple of years ago, Ruocco finally made good on the promise, developing a test that sends real-time information about a driver’s condition to local authorities.
“Throughout my life, especially at parties, get-togethers, holidays, they always talked about this young man, what a nice person he was, and what a horrible death he suffered,” said Ruocco, the founder and CEO of Interceptor Ignition Interlocks Inc., a startup based in Shirley, N.Y. “That kind of stayed with me. I got into the business and developed this technology.”
Ruocco’s system builds on longstanding ignition interlock devices installed as a condition of parole for some convicted drunk drivers, testing those individuals with a breathalyzer before they turn on their cars and then randomly as they drive. It’s also enabled to send unfavorable blood alcohol results directly to a 911 emergency center, allowing police to stop dangerous drivers before they harm civilians. Interceptor even uses a built-in camera to take pictures when drivers blow into the mouthpiece, ensuring that an impaired driver doesn’t trick the system with a sober substitute.
“I took a survey of the entire industry, what was good, what was bad, what was lacking,” said Ruocco, 62, who began laying the groundwork for his idea in 2000.
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