Being convicted of driving under the influence is no joke, especially when the consequences that come with it start dawning on you. If you've been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, you can face serious consequences requiring you to install an ignition interlock device. If you want to avoid being required to insstall an ignition interlock device, The Law Offices of Matthew Konecky can explain what you can do to avoid this.
Among the penalties that come with a DUI conviction are jail time, hefty fines, driver’s license suspension, and IID installation.
IID is short for ignition interlock device, a breathalyzer typically hooked up to the engine of a convicted DUI offender’s car. It’s primarily designed to stop the latter from starting the vehicle while drunk, and ensure that the driver will remain sober while driving.
How An IID Works
Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, an IID requires a DUI offender to provide a breath sample by blowing into the mouthpiece of the device.
If it detects a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level at or above the preset limit, the IID will automatically prevent the person behind the wheel from turning on the engine.
The only way a DUI offender can start the car is to provide a breath sample that yields a BAC that falls below the limit, often set by states at 0.02.
Rolling Retests
However, IIDs do not just perform one test, and it’s done. While on the road, the driver will have to provide more breath samples during a rolling retest, which happens at random intervals to make sure that he or she didn’t consume any alcoholic beverage while driving.
As with the initial breathalyzer test, a driver can continue to drive without any hitches upon passing the rolling retest. Failing it may trigger your car lights and horn to force you to pull over somewhere safe and turn off the engine.
In some states, IIDs are calibrated to allow drivers to keep on providing breath samples until they pass. Other states, however, have rules and regulations that make ignition interlock devices automatically lock drivers out temporarily or permanently after multiple failed attempts.
An IID Records Data, Too
An ignition interlock device does more than analyze breath samples and prevent an engine from starting up. It also records and stores data in accordance with rules set out by the authority that ordered the IID installation.
Among the essential information that an IID routinely records are:
- The BAC levels of the driver
- Startup test and rolling retest results
- Date and time of startup and random tests
- Missed rolling retests
- Attempts to remove the device or tamper with it
- Failure to bring the car in for periodic recalibration
Consequences of IID Violations
Failing breath tests is considered a violation of the rules and regulations covering the use of ignition interlock devices. The same goes for refusing to take random retests, attempted tampering or removal of the IID, and another DUI arrest.
Those who violate IID rules and regulations will likely:
- See their IID installation period extended
- Have their restricted driver’s license revoked
- Get their license suspension reinstated
- Face dismissal from the IID program
- Be ordered to add a camera to the IID for more stringent monitoring
- Pay heavy fines
- Serve time in jail
How Much Does An IID Cost?
If you’re a convicted DUI offender and the court ordered you to sign up for an IID program, you are expected to shoulder the costs of having an ignition interlock device installed in your car.
The amount you’re going to spend for an IID installation will largely depend on the make of your car and the provider of the ignition interlock device. Expect to pay anywhere between $50 to $150 for the installation alone.
The state-certified IID company that installed the device in your car will also have to monitor, maintain, and calibrate it, which will cost you another $50 to $100 per month. That also means that the longer your IID installation period, the more money you will have to shell out.
When the last day of your IID installation period arrives, you will also pay a fee to have the device removed from your vehicle.
On the surface, an ignition interlock device can be such a hassle with all the breath tests that DUI offenders will have to take multiple times while driving. They can be costly, too, given the fees involved for their installation, maintenance, and removal.
However, ignition interlock devices are earning a reputation as a very effective means of reducing DUI recidivism and deadly, alcohol-related crashes.
Ignition interlock devices already help save more lives every day. With their continued use among DUI offenders, we can start feeling safer every time we hit the road.
If you want to know more about DUI law, download our guide 'What You MUST Know About Your DUI Case Before You Do ANYTHING' for free on our website or give us a call at (561) 671-5995.
