Arizona is one of the few U.S states that currently mandates the installation of ignition interlocks on the vehicles of all DUI offenders. Yet many states may soon be following Arizona's footsteps.
IgnitionInterlockDevice.org reports that ignition interlock systems in cars are devices that test for alcohol on a driver's breath, where a vehicle cannot start unless the BAC of the driver is below a certain level, usually between .02 and .04 BAC.
The ignition interlock law for all DUI offenders went into effect in 2007 through Senate Bill 1029, according to the Arizona State Legislature. The law requires those convicted of even a first-time DUI to have the device installed for a minimum of 12 months. Those DUI offenders who do not comply with the law may have to face further penalties, which can include the installation of the ignition interlock device for an extended period of time or driver's license suspension. Before SB 1029 was passed into a law, only repeat DUI offenders were required to have ignition interlocks in their vehicles.
Some Arizona DUI attorneys have questioned the use of ignition interlocks, saying that the use of such a device can cause extreme embarrassment to DUI offenders and that the ignition interlock devices are not always accurate. Yet many states have recently passed new laws requiring the ignition interlock device, including new laws in Illinois and California this year. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that eight other states besides Arizona now have mandatory ignition interlock provisions for all offenses; where 47 U.S states have some sort of ignition interlock law.
Related Resources:
- Arizona DUI Law (FindLaw)
- Illinois DUI Law Promotes Ignition Devices (Findlaw Blotter)
- Arizona DUI attorney directory (FindLaw)
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