Florida Ignition Interlock Device Program

Section 316.193 of the Florida Statutes states that anyone convicted of a DUI is required to install an ignition interlock device on their vehicles. The ignition interlock program is affective for those arrested and convicted after 1st July 2002.

According to Florida DUI laws, an ignition interlock device is also required when a DUI convict applies for a restricted license for work or business. Anyone seeking a driver’s license reinstatement is also required to install an ignition interlock device. The law makes sure that the device is installed before the driver’s license is reinstated.

Any person otherwise eligible for a driver’s license will be issued a “P” restriction on the license indicating that an interlock device is required. As soon as the “P” interlock restriction is issued, the required time period for interlock officially begins.

Costs associated with an Interlock Device

When someone is ordered to have an ignition interlock device installed, they have to pay the fees for renting the device along with the installation charges. The costs which the convicted person has to bear include a $12 Interlock fee, $70 installation fee, $67.50 monthly monitoring along with a monthly insurance charge of $5. The defendant also has to pay taxes apart from the costs associated with installing the interlock device.

All of this can cost the defendant quite a lot, depending on the time of suspension and interlock requirement. In the case the court determines that the defendant cannot pay for the installation of an ignition interlock device in his vehicle, then the court may order that a portion of the fine paid by law as part of the DUI conviction by the defendant be allocated to pay the costs of installing the device.

How does the Ignition Interlock Device Work?

An ignition interlock device is designed to prevent the car from starting unless the driver blows into the interlock system. This makes sure that the driver is sober, with a blood alcohol level of less than 0.05, which is the threshold for a lockout, and could be in the range of 0.02% to 0.04% in some states.

The device is typically installed in the glove compartment on the passenger side and is hard wired to the engine’s ignition system. Once the driver has begun driving, the ignition interlock device can give “rolling tests” which occur at random intervals. These tests prevent the driver from drinking alcohol or alcoholic beverages once the car has been started and also make sure that the driver did not trick the device by using a sober friend blow into the device to start the vehicle. The tests occur about 5 minutes to 30 minutes after the car starts.

If the driver fails to provide a breath sample while driving, or if the device detects an increase in the blood alcohol level of the driver, then the device issues a warning and an alarm goes off. If the ignition is not turned off, the vehicles lights may start flashing and the horn may start honking to warn the driver as well as other drivers on the road.

The interlock devices are designed in such a way that it is almost impossible for the driver to get around them. If you try to use a mechanical device to blow into the interlock system or if you try to tamper the device, it will not let you start the car.