Ignition Interlock

        A lot of people have asked me: “What is an ignition interlock device?”  An ignition interlock device is a device that is installed on your vehicle so that you cannot start it without blowing into it to prove that you are not driving intoxicated.  What the device does is it senses alcohol in your system so that it knows if you are too impaired to be driving your vehicle.  Ignition interlock devices are installed in vehicles that are driven by owners that have been found guilty of a first offense drunk driving or OWI, if their blood alcohol level during the first offense is 0.15 or above, on all second offenses, on all third offenses, fourth offenses and upwards.  Anything other than a first offense you will be required to have an ignition interlock device.  Now, there is some new law being proposed in the state legislature saying that all OWI defendants regardless of the offense and regardless of the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) should have to equip their vehicle with an ignition interlock device.  There are pros and cons to this law.  Some people say that it will help cut down on repeat offenses.  Some people say that it is an infringement upon liberty.  The bottom line is this:  If this law passes there are going to be a lot of people fighting this law.  There are a lot of problems with ignition interlock devices.  They are costly.  They are not always reliable.  In emergency situations they do not allow you to operate your vehicle.  Before we start going down that road we should think long and hard about these issues.  They are very important.  They infringe upon our liberty.  It is the government taking something away from us that we would normally have.  We have to decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing.