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Do I need to use an ignition interlock device?

On Behalf of | Nov 9, 2016 | Drunk Driving

Have you been arrested and charged with a drunk driving offense in Florida? If so, you may understandably be scared and wondering what types of penalties you may face if you are convicted. In addition to the potential that you might be ordered to pay high fines or even spend time in jail, you might also be required to install and use an ignition interlock device in order to reinstate your right to drive again.

Who exactly needs to use an IID in Florida? According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, even a person convicted of a first-ever drunk driving offense may be ordered to use an ignition interlock device. If a driver’s blood alcohol content was over 0.14 percent for a first offense, the minimum length of time that an IID must be used is six months. Drivers with BAC levels under 0.15 may also be ordered to use an IID but there is no stipulated minimum length of time.

With each subsequent conviction, drivers may need to use ignition interlock devices for longer periods of time. For a second or third offense, an IID might be needed for two years or more depending upon the driver’s blood alcohol content. After a fourth DUI conviction, a driver might need to use an IID for a minimum of five years.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give people arrested for impaired driving offenses in Florida to understand the state’s requirement for using ignition interlock devices.

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