State Ignition Interlock Laws

Before you worry too much about losing your driver’s license due to a DUI conviction, take a deep breath. This is good practice anyway considering that your state may require you to install an ignition interlock device if you want to keep driving your vehicle.

An ignition interlock device is a machine that the court may order be installed in your vehicle. This machine is installed and maintained at your expense, which is why states and tax payers are in favor of the device. The machine is designed to analyze a person’s breath, looking for any amount of alcohol. If the device detects a certain amount of alcohol, it will prevent your vehicle from starting.

Each time you get in your vehicle, you’ll have to blow through a tube. The device will measure and record your information, which is then sent to the manufacturer for record keeping. In some cases, the machine will require you to blow into the tube every few minutes or miles. This is to prevent having a friend or family member breath into the machine for you to allow you to start your vehicle. If it detects alcohol on your breath while you are driving, it cannot simply stop the vehicle. Instead, it will sound an alarm and cause your lights to flash and the horn to honk until the vehicle is turned off. It will also log this into the system.

Typically, the machine will be programmed to stop your vehicle from starting if it detects a blood alcohol content in the range of .02-.04%. These percentages may vary depending on your state and your case, however it is often well below all states legal limit of .08%. This is to ensure that you are not operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

As is the case in the field of DUI, states have different laws regarding the ignition interlock device, so it’s best to contact a qualified DUI defense attorney for more information. You and your attorney may decide that installing this device is the right option for you if you’d like to continue driving.