Ignition Interlock Devices and Personal Breathalyzers
In the state’s quest to prevent drunk driving and punish drivers who violate the law, ignition interlock devices as DUI prevention have become increasingly popular. At the same time, drivers looking to avoid the consequences of a DUI often use personal breathalyzer devices.
Oklahoma drivers who have their licenses revoked after a DUI arrest and do not seek an administrative hearing may obtain a modified license to drive. One condition of the modified license is installation of an ignition interlock device on the car or cars they drive. In addition, many drivers receive an ignition interlock requirement as part of a DUI sentence.
These interlock devices act like breathalyzers attached to the car’s ignition. You must blow into the device and return a result with little or no blood alcohol concentration to start the car. Drivers who blow into the interlock and whose breath tests positive for alcohol may be locked out from starting the car for a period of time. Oklahoma drivers must pay for the cost of installing an ignition interlock device and any inspection or calibration fees.
In contrast, personal breathalyzers are not court-mandated and are completely optional. Large numbers of people have started using the breathalyzers to check their blood alcohol content before driving away from bars or after having a few drinks. Personal breathalyzers vary widely in cost and accuracy. Accuracy issues stem in part from the need to re-calibrate these devices frequently – sometimes after only one use. Another accuracy issue arises because drivers’ blood alcohol content may rise as their bodies ingest the alcohol, so a legal BAC may rise to an illegal one while the driver is operating a vehicle. In Oklahoma, drivers can be arrested for being under the influence even if they are under the legal BAC limit – for example if they have taken both drugs and alcohol or are driving erratically.
Personal breathalyzers have become so popular that the Colorado Department of Transportation provided them to people with prior DUIs. The DOT asked drivers to use the breathalyzers and complete a survey, with the dual goals of preventing drunk driving and seeing if the breathalyzers caused people to avoid driving drunk. 91% said that the personal breathalyzer helped them avoid driving drunk, and 94% said that they would recommend a personal breathalyzer to others.
Have you been charged with a DUI in Oklahoma and don’t know where to turn? Seek out the attorney who knows the system. Clint Patterson, Esq., of Patterson Law Firm, a former Tulsa prosecutor now using his trial experience and expert-level knowledge of DUI science to defend drivers, has the experience and the insight to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your case. To schedule a case evaluation, visit Patterson Law Firm online or call Clint’s office at (918) 550-9175.