An ignition interlock device (IID) is a personal breath test unit installed directly in someone’s vehicle. The driver will have to perform the test when they start the vehicle and even occasionally while they drive.
The goal of these devices is to prevent someone from getting behind the wheel with alcohol in their system after they’ve already had a brush with the Pennsylvania criminal justice system for drunk driving. When might the state of Pennsylvania require that you install an IID in your car?
If you refuse a breath test during a traffic stop
Refusing a chemical breath test might prevent the state from gathering chemical evidence, but it also results in its own set of consequences. When you refuse to take a chemical test, the state will likely suspend your license. If you want to regain your driving privileges, installing an IID may be necessary.
If you have multiple DUIs on your record
The courts in Pennsylvania can order the installation of an IID in your vehicle if you are a repeat driving under the influence (DUI) offender. The more previous offenses you have on your record, the more likely it is that the state will want to limit your driving privileges afterward.
If you have high levels of alcohol in your body
The level of your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) determines what charges you face and what penalties the courts may assess against you. Even a first-time DUI charge could result in a requirement to install an IID in your vehicle if your BAC was high at the time of your arrest.
Learning more about the consequences for impaired driving will make it easier for you to respond to those charges in the Pennsylvania criminal courts.
