Ignition Interlock Device Effectiveness

Most of us take getting in our vehicle and going where we need to for granted. The ease and convenience of just jumping in your car and running errands or going to work is something we do not want to give up.

However, for people who are arrested for driving under the influence, it is not as easy to get around. This is because more and more judges are ordering people who have been convicted to have an ignition interlock device installed in their cars. While these devices are most commonly ordered for repeat offenders, they can also be ordered for first-time offenders (in certain cases.)

How does an ignition interlock device work?

The device is installed in the car’s dashboard. Before the engine can be started, the driver must give a breath sample. This breath sample determines whether the driver has over the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) level. If so, the ignition will not start.

The device is equipped with certain safeguards against people who are trying to cheat the test. For example, to prove that the breath is human, the driver may have to hum into the device while blowing into it.

The driver will also be subject to “rolling tests.” This means that while they are driving, they must again breathe into the ignition interlock device. If their BAC level is too high, an alarm sound or the lights may blink until the car is turned off. This is to deter drivers from having their sober friends take the test for them.

The driver pays for the installation of the device as well as for the monthly rental and monitoring fees.

However, having an ignition interlock device installed can benefit the driver. This option is an alternative to a hard license suspension and allows the driver to get around.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) reported that out of 1.5 million DUI arrests each year, a third are repeat offenders. Therefore, these devices can play a role in keeping the roads safer.

The NHTSA also reported that ignition interlock devices are ordered in approximately 100,000 drunk-driving cases each year.

The question is – how effective are these devices at keeping our roads safer?