Scoring Points with the Missouri Ignition Interlock FAQ

If you knew, without a doubt, everything that you could be facing if you were arrested and charged with drunk driving, would that change your choice to drive while intoxicated? In Missouri, a drunk driver has a long road ahead, one that is easily avoided by having a plan for a safe ride home. However, not everyone realizes the trouble in store when drinking and driving. So, here are a few simple points that everyone can learn to help make that decision a lot easier, and safer.

• In Missouri, you will be convicted of DWI if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at or above .08 percent.
• Before you even get to court, DMV may require you to install an ignition interlock device, or just suspend your license entirely.
• Either way, you have to serve 30 days of your license suspension before you can install the interlock.
• Unless the DWI is your first offense, in which case, you could skip the suspension entirely if you go ahead and install an ignition interlock device.
• When all is said and done, you will still have to face a judge for your DWI charge and if you are convicted, your ignition interlock commitment may increase.

The odds of a person ending up with an ignition interlock device, one way or the other, or a license suspension are pretty good. It may seem like a simple trip back home from the bar, but, the reality is that any time you drink and then drive home, you are a risk on the road. That’s why states like Missouri are taking such big steps to prevent that from happening. The most important points to remember are that you don’t have to get an ignition interlock if you don’t drink and drive, and you don’t have to keep tabs on what you’re drinking if you already have a safe ride home. Everything else takes a “back seat” to your choice to be a safe, responsible driver.