Should manufacturer’s equip vehicles with interlock devices?

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For many people, drunk or impaired driving is a regular routine that they think they can avoid by putting on a sober face. That is, until they pull out the Burgerville gift card instead of a driver’s license.

With that smooth move, an automatic arrest and 90-day license suspension awaits. That may be the best-case scenario, as in way too many cases the result is much more tragic.

The Car Connection recently reported the results of a study by the University of Michigan Injury Center and the U-M Transportation Research Institute is providing quite a bit more weight behind the argument that car manufacturers should be required to equip new vehicles with alcohol ignition interlocks. These devices would test and verify the driver’s blood alcohol level before the car would start.

An obvious argument against that is the increase to the price of the car, but the U-M study showed that the savings would actually be nearly $23 billion and 4,000 lives annually.

The National Highway Safety Administration has been pushing to have the mandated monitors in the vehicles for a number of years now and with this added data, the debate will be even stronger. Some of the statistics when extrapolated over 15 years is staggering.

• Eighty-five percent of alcohol-related fatalities could be avoided. Nearly 10,000 drunken-driving fatalities occur on our roads annually now. Also, over one million non-fatal injuries could be avoided in that time period.

• According to the study, the biggest benefactor would be the country’s young drivers as these devices would prevent just under 700,000 deaths and injuries to drivers 29 and younger.

• The study also estimated that there would be a huge financial windfall as well. A savings of over $343 billion would be realized in the U.S. over that 15-year span.

In Washington State, the price for a drunken driving arrest is more lenient than the neighbors to the South. Oregon law for a first offense is a one-year suspension of driving privileges, $1,000 fine and a minimum of two days in jail. A second offense is a three-year suspension and two days to one year in jail.

Washington is just the 90 days and 24 hours for a first offense under the .15 blood alcohol level. If over .15, it is a one-year suspension. A second offense under .15 is a two-year suspension.

Washington ignition interlock laws require that any driver convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) must install an ignition interlock device for a minimum of one year for a 1st or 2nd DUI offense, and 10 years for 3rd or subsequent offenses.

The above are minimum sentences; the court may add more time in some cases. Some reckless or negligent driving offenses also require an interlock.

  • An interlock must be installed on all the vehicles you drive.

  • An ignition interlock prevents your vehicle from starting if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is above a pre-programmed level. The device also requires periodic tests while you are driving. If you fail, the information is recorded, and your lights and/or horn will signal you to pull over.

  • Washington also exacts penalties for Physical Control, i.e. being in physical control of a car while impaired, even if you aren’t driving. If you are found asleep in your car and fail a breath test, you can face the same penalties as for a DUI.

There are options in place now to have ignition interlock devices put in to a driver’s vehicle. In Washington, a driver can get back some driving privileges with the installation of such a device. The driver is responsible for all the costs and is required to maintain an electronic log device.

According to Peter Clover, owner of Mobile West in Portland, they install up to 25 units a month of the LifeSafer system. Clover said the system is pretty slick and easy to use. There is also an authorization facility located at 12209 NE Fourth Plain Boulevard, Suite K, in Vancouver.

LifeSafer is the leading provider of interlock devices and helped originate the ignition interlock industry in 1991. As well as spearheading advances in car breathalyzer technology, LifeSafer has been instrumental in showing lawmakers the merits of ignition interlock programs. Since their efforts began more than twenty years ago, all fifty states have adopted some type of interlock program.

Ridgefield resident Brad Boyer is owner of Carcierge and co-host of Test Miles radio KXL 101.1 FM in Portland. For more information, go to www.carcierge.net or www.bradthecarguy.com.