Vivian Marlowe
Ignition interlock devices (IIDs) are highly precise tools that curb impaired driving by preventing repeat DUI offenses. They consist of a mouthpiece, a handheld device, and a cord that connects to a vehicle's ignition system. Before starting the engine, the driver must blow into the device. If the device detects alcohol on the driver's breath, it will prevent the engine from starting. Blowing into an IID with alcohol in your system will trigger alarms, such as honking and flashing lights, until the driver pulls over and turns off the engine. Additionally, modern IIDs log all test results and send them to a monitoring authority, and some models include GPS tracking. Therefore, attempting to drive after drinking or tampering with the device can lead to severe penalties, including fines, extended IID periods, or even jail time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What happens if I blow into my interlock with alcohol? | If the device registers alcohol on your breath, it will consider that a test failure. |
| What happens if I fail the test? | If you fail the initial test, the engine will not start. If you fail a random re-test, the lights and horn may activate, but the car will continue to operate. You must then pull over as soon as possible and shut off the ignition. |
| What if I get a friend to blow into my interlock? | Asking a friend to blow into your ignition interlock device to start your vehicle or during a rolling retest is considered tampering with your device, and there are severe penalties for any offender who tries this. |
| What if I get a false positive? | If you believe you should not have failed the test, notify your monitoring agency and your DUI lawyer or probation officer of what happened as soon as possible. This can protect you from penalties for a program violation. |
| What causes a false positive? | Using an alcohol-based mouthwash, fermentation of fruit juice, yeast in bread or pizza dough, or residual alcohol in your system from drinking the night before can cause a false positive. Using certain hand sanitizers before submitting a breath test may also cause a test failure. |
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What You'll Learn
- Asking a friend to blow into your interlock device is considered tampering and can lead to severe penalties
- Alcohol is rapidly absorbed and expelled through the lungs, correlating directly with blood alcohol concentration (BAC)
- Interlock devices use fuel cell technology to measure BAC, with platinum electrodes reacting with breath alcohol
- False positives can occur due to alcohol-based mouthwash, fermented food, or hand sanitizers, but there are ways to retest
- If you fail a random retest while driving, you must pull over and wait before performing an initial test to restart the car
Asking a friend to blow into your interlock device is considered tampering and can lead to severe penalties
Ignition interlock devices (IIDs) are highly effective in preventing repeat DUI offences, reducing them by around 70% while installed. They are electronic tools installed in vehicles to detect if the driver has alcohol on their breath. Before starting the engine, the driver must blow into the device, and if the breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) is above a pre-set limit, the engine will not start.
Asking a friend to blow into your interlock device is a form of tampering, which is a serious violation. Tampering with an interlock device is equivalent to disabling it, and is treated as such under the law. This is because the device is specifically designed to prevent drunk driving, which claims the lives of approximately 29 people every day.
The penalties for tampering with an interlock device can be severe and may include fines, an extended IID period, or even jail time. The consequences vary depending on the jurisdiction and the number of previous violations. In some states, multiple violations can lead to a lockout, requiring a service call to reset the device. In other cases, criminal charges or probation violations may be brought against the driver.
It is important to understand the specific regulations and penalties in your state, as they can differ significantly. For example, in Florida, a first-time DUI offender with a blood alcohol level of 0.15% or higher, or with a minor passenger at the time of arrest, must have an IID installed for six months.
The bottom line is that attempting to circumvent an interlock device is a serious offence that can carry heavy penalties. If you are required to use an IID, the safest approach is to avoid alcohol entirely.
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Alcohol is rapidly absorbed and expelled through the lungs, correlating directly with blood alcohol concentration (BAC)
Alcohol is rapidly absorbed by the body and expelled through the lungs, which is why breathalysers are used to detect intoxication. When you consume an alcoholic beverage, your stomach and small intestines absorb the alcohol, introducing it into your bloodstream. Alcohol is a toxin, so your liver metabolises it to filter it out of your blood. If you drink faster than your liver can process the alcohol, your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) increases, and you may feel the effects of drunkenness. BAC is a measure of the percentage of alcohol in your blood, calculated in grams per 100 mL of blood. For example, a BAC of 0.08% means your blood is 0.08% alcohol by volume, with 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 mL of blood.
Due to its volatile nature, alcohol evaporates into the lungs and is expelled in your breath. The alcohol content in your breath, or BrAC (Breath Alcohol Concentration), directly correlates with your BAC. This is why breathalysers are used to estimate BAC levels. Breathalysers use fuel cell technology to react with alcohol in the breath, producing an electrical current. The strength of this current corresponds to the alcohol level, which the device converts into a BAC reading.
Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs) are breathalysers that are connected to a vehicle's ignition system. They are used to prevent individuals from driving under the influence of alcohol. Before starting the engine, the driver must blow into the device, and if the BrAC exceeds a pre-set limit (typically 0.02%), the engine will not start. IIDs also require rolling retests during a trip, and if the driver fails to provide a sample or if the BrAC is too high, the device will trigger alarms until the driver pulls over and turns off the engine.
The only way to sober up and lower your BAC is to wait. If you are required to use an IID, avoiding alcohol entirely is the safest approach.
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Interlock devices use fuel cell technology to measure BAC, with platinum electrodes reacting with breath alcohol
An ignition interlock device or breath alcohol ignition interlock device (IID or BAIID) is a breathalyzer installed in an individual's vehicle. It requires the driver to blow into a mouthpiece on the device before starting or continuing to operate the vehicle. If the resultant breath-alcohol concentration (BrAC) or breath-alcohol content (BAC) analysed result is greater than the programmed blood alcohol concentration (which varies between countries), the device prevents the engine from being started. The interlock device is located inside the vehicle, near the driver’s seat, and is directly connected to the engine’s ignition system.
Modern IIDs use fuel cell technology to measure BrAC. The device contains platinum electrodes that react with alcohol in the breath, producing an electrical current. The strength of this current corresponds to the alcohol level in the breath, which the device converts into a BAC reading. BAC represents the amount of alcohol in the blood and is expressed as a percentage. For example, a BAC of 0.08% means 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Fuel cell-based testers also require significantly less frequent recalibration than semiconductor sensors – up to 1,500 tests or once a year.
Alcohol-sensing devices became the standard in the 1980s. They employed semiconductor (non-specific) alcohol sensors. Semiconductor-type (Taguchi) interlocks were sturdy and got the field moving, but did not hold calibration very well, were sensitive to altitude variation, and reacted positively to non-alcohol sources. By the early 1990s, the industry began to produce "second-generation" interlocks with reliable and accurate fuel cell sensors.
Today’s accurate devices use platinum electrodes that remove the alcohol from the breath by separating it into acetic acid and water. This oxidation reaction produces an electric current (like the chemical reaction that powers your car battery) which can be precisely measured. The electrodes react to alcohol and only alcohol, so you are much less likely to encounter a false positive result. When it does happen, it’s because the interlock is detecting alcohol from another source, such as mouthwash. Rinsing the mouth with water should clear this up.
A breath sample is not required to start the vehicle if the engine has been running within a time-out period, to allow quick re-starts in case the vehicle stalls. At random times after the engine has been started, the IID will require another breath sample, referred to as a rolling retest. The purpose of the rolling retest is to prevent someone other than the driver from providing a breath sample. If the breath sample isn't provided, or the sample exceeds the ignition interlock's preset blood alcohol level, the device will log the event, warn the driver, and then start up an alarm in accordance with state regulations (e.g., lights flashing, horn honking) until the ignition is turned off, or a clean breath sample has been provided.
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False positives can occur due to alcohol-based mouthwash, fermented food, or hand sanitizers, but there are ways to retest
Ignition interlock devices (IIDs) are highly precise and accurate when it comes to detecting alcohol on your breath. They use fuel cell technology to measure BrAC (breath alcohol concentration). However, false positives can occur due to trace amounts of alcohol found in certain products like mouthwash, hand sanitizers, and fermented foods.
To minimize the risk of a false reading, it is recommended to wait at least 15 minutes after consuming these products and to rinse your mouth with water before providing a breath sample. If you have recently used mouthwash or hand sanitizer, the alcohol from these products is only in your mouth and not your system. Rinsing your mouth and waiting will allow you to pass the breath test.
If you receive a false positive, you can notify your monitoring agency, DUI lawyer, or probation officer. You may also want to inform them if you believe you should not have failed the test, as this can protect you from penalties for a program violation. Consecutive failed breath tests can lead to a lockout and result in a lockout violation.
It is important to note that the consequences of a positive alcohol test on an IID can be serious, ranging from fines to jail time, depending on the regulations in your state. To avoid setbacks, follow all device instructions and comply with your state's IID program rules.
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If you fail a random retest while driving, you must pull over and wait before performing an initial test to restart the car
Ignition interlock devices are designed to ensure that drivers remain sober. They do this by requesting random retests during most trips. If you fail a random retest while driving, you must pull over and wait before performing an initial test to restart the car.
Firstly, it's important to note that failing a random retest will not cause your vehicle to stall or turn off. Once you've started your vehicle, it will continue to run until you manually turn it off. However, your device will log the failure and report it to the appropriate monitoring authority. In some states, your horn may activate or your lights will flash to indicate that you've failed the test.
When you fail a random retest, an alarm will sound, but you will still be able to drive. You should wait until you have reached a safe place to pull over. Once you've turned off the engine, you will need to wait for a lockout period (typically 5-30 minutes) until you can provide another breath sample and start your vehicle again.
It's important to remember that the retest process is not a punishment or a mistake. Retests are a built-in safety feature designed to ensure your continuous sobriety. The process of providing a breath sample for a retest is the same as the initial test, and you will always have a warning before a retest is required. You will hear a loud beeping noise, and you will have several minutes (usually between 3 and 15) to pull over and provide your breath sample.
If you ever feel uncomfortable with the retest process or have any questions, additional training and support are available. You can also refer to step-by-step guides to help you feel prepared for random retests during your drive.
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Frequently asked questions
If the device registers alcohol on your breath, it will consider that a test failure. If you swish your mouth out with water and wait a few minutes, you should be able to submit a clean breath test. If you haven't been drinking, you may have failed due to alcohol-based mouthwash, fermented fruit juice in your mouth, or even the fermentation of yeast in bread or pizza dough.
If you fail a random re-test, the lights and horn may activate, but the car will continue to operate. You must pull over as soon as possible and shut off the ignition. After 5 minutes, you will be asked to perform an initial test and start the car again. Failing a random re-test puts your ignition interlock into Early Service Recall mode.
Many states require a permanent lockout if you fail too many tests in a certain time period. This applies to both the startup test and any rolling retests.
In some states, asking a friend to blow into your device is considered tampering, and there are severe penalties. You could lose your restricted driver's license, be required to extend the time you have your ignition interlock device, or even go to jail.
