Under laws that took effect Thursday in Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska and Washington state, drivers convicted of a first-time DUI must install breath-alcohol ignition interlocks on their cars if they want to keep driving while their licenses are suspended.
Here are some provisions of the law in Illinois:
—Drivers must pay the full costs of the devices, which prevent drivers from starting their engines if they fail the breathalyzer-type test. That includes around $80 to install them, $80 a month for rent and a $30 monthly fee to the state.
—The car engine won’t start if a driver’s blood-alcohol content is above 0.024, a much lower level than the legal limit for drunk driving, which is 0.08.
—Drivers not only have to blow into the gadgets when they first start their cars—they must retest while driving, within the first 5 to 15 minutes, then twice every hour or so. If alcohol’s detected, the device tells the driver to pull over and the engine stops.
—The device records each test and any violation is reported to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office and additional penalties are applied, including extending the period of time someone must use the device.
— Drivers could attempt to circumvent the system by having someone else blow into the devices or driving someone else’s car. But if caught skirting the devices, the driver could go to jail for 3 years.
—This new system replaces one where judges could issue judicial driving permits, enabling those convicted of DUIs to drive to and from work or school. Those convicted still wouldn’t be able to drive for at least 30 days during which their licenses are revoked.
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Sources: Illinois Secretary of State’s office and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
