Your Ignition Interlock Device Sees and Reports Everything

If you have an ignition interlock device, you rely on it to report your good behavior to the court, your probation officer or department of motor vehicles (DMV) so that one day, you can take it off your car. Igntion interlocks are smart; they have to be. They determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) through your breath sample and then determine if you are sober enough to drive. In that case, an IID may be even smarter than a person, since it relies on “just the facts,” and not how hard it is to call a taxi after a night at the bar.

An IID is also smart in the sense that if the device has been tampered with, it will also report that information to the same people monitoring your BAC. There are many ways to attempt to tamper with the device or to circumvent the process of testing your BAC. But, did you know your ignition interlock device is smart enough to know (and report) specifically what you did to start your car providing a breath sample? Just as a warning, it also will tell if you’re not driving your car, and you may have to explain how you’re getting back and forth to work in order to prove you’re not driving another vehicle without an IID installed.

Since ignition interlock devices are trusted to report accurate information, from your BAC to how often you drive, there should be no question about the risk of tampering with the devices. While inconvenient, the devices allow you the freedom to keep driving, as long as you are sober. If you are caught tampering with the device, you risk a lot more than cab fare or the embarrassment of asking someone to drive you home, you are risking your life, the lives of others, and everyone’s freedom in your motivation to keep driving while intoxicated