You Should Be Worried About Maryland Ignition Interlock Violations

Ignition interlocks are brilliant devices that help anyone with a drunk driving conviction continue to keep driving, while assuring everyone on the roads that they are sober during that process. It isn’t really anybody’s goal to have an ignition interlock requirement, but, it does happen. In Maryland, for example, you’ll be ordered to install an ignition interlock for your DUI, or you can proactively install one in order to continue to drive. In either case, you’re in the clear, as long as you steer clear of any Maryland ignition interlock violations, such as:

• Tampering with or attempting to circumvent the interlock.
• Trying to start your vehicle without submitting a breath sample.
• Your record of starting and stopping the vehicle and how far you traveled.
• Any measure of alcohol in your breath sample above the pre-determined limit.

During each monitoring period (about 30 days), any of these Maryland ignition interlock violations will extend your ignition interlock time requirement for an additional month. If you have four monitoring periods that record an ignition interlock violation, you will no longer be eligible for the program and your license will be suspended for its original amount of time.

Just like you probably didn’t intend to drive under the influence of alcohol in Maryland, you likely didn’t intend to see any ignition interlock violations add up after your conviction.  Just having an ignition interlock installed on your car isn’t enough to prove you are sober when driving, you still have to drive your vehicle as normal and submit to the testing at each prompt. Any Maryland ignition interlock violations show that you are not taking your DUI conviction seriously, and that you could potentially face another DUI charge in the future. That’s not a chance anyone wants to take, so prove your dedication to sober driving and moving past your conviction, and keep your freedom in the meantime.