A second or subsequent OWI offense is probably the last thing on your mind as you stand before a judge in Mississppi. Usually, the first time a person is convicted of drinking and driving, the penalties are enough to scare sober driving into them forever. However, that is not always the case, and when you are looking at your second or third OWI, you realize that not only is your personal freedom at risk, but, you may not even have a car once you get out of jail.
Mississippi can, and will, immobilize or impound your vehicles when you are convicted of drinking and driving. Without a car, you cannot drive under the influence of alcohol… but, there is a way you can keep your car and commit to sober driving, even after multiple OWI offenses: an ignition interlock device.
Revisions to Mississippi’s OWI laws in 2014 note that any vehicles that belong to an offender must have an ignition interlock installed, or they will be impounded. This gives you the ability to choose whether you want to drive with an ignition interlock device, or lose your car while you serve out the term of your conviction. Since equipping your vehicle with the device is a lot easier than saying goodbye to your favorite ride, your best choice is obvious.
If you are working through your first OWI in Mississippi, remember that things can get worse with any future drunk driving convictions. Before you are faced with choosing between an ignition interlock or having your car impounded, remember the choice that led you into that courtroom to begin with. You can always make the right decision before you get behind the wheel of your car, and remain sober when driving. Then, you keep your car and your criminal record clear from the decisions that come with an OWI in Mississippi.