Ignition Interlock & DUI News

California DMV Study on the Effectiveness of Ignition Interlocks

California DMV, “Specific Deterrent Evaluation of the Ignition Interlock Pilot Program in
California,” June 2016

  • Ignition interlocks are 74% more effective in reducing DUI recidivism than license suspension alone for first offenders during first 182 days after conviction.
  • Interlocks are 45% more effective in preventing a repeat DUI incidence when compared to license suspension alone during days 183 to 365 after conviction. Many first-time offenders have the device removed after 182 days of use.
  • Ignition interlocks are 70% more effective than license suspension alone.   This is preventing repeat offenses for second-time offenders, compared to license suspension alone, for the first 364 days of use.
  • Interlocks are 58% more effective in preventing a repeat DUI incidence during days 365 to 730 days of use for second-time offenders.
  • Third-time offenders who only had a suspended license were 3.4 times more likely to have a fourth DUI conviction or incidence compared to the interlocked offender group.
  • Because interlocked offenders are able to be part of society and provide for their family by driving to work, grocery stores, restaurants and any anywhere else, their crash risk is most likely similar to the general driving population in California, but higher than offenders whose licenses were suspended or revoked and not permitted to drive.

Source: dmv.org

Effective January 2019

Interlocks will be mandatory for repeat offenders and first-time offenders in injury crashes. Other first-time offenders may choose between:

1) interlock use for six months available upon arrest with no route/time restrictions

2) one-year license suspension upon conviction

3) 30-day license suspension followed by 330 days on a time/route-restricted license.

The Cost of Drunk Driving

  • Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 of higher). In 2013, there were 10,076 people killed in these preventable crashes.
  • In 2013, approximately 1 in 5 child (12 and younger) passenger deaths were in drunk-driving crashes. Seventy-one percent of the time, it was the child’s own driver who was drunk.
  • Of those child passengers killed while riding with a drunk driver, 44 percent weren’t buckled up at the time of the crash.
  • In addition to the human toll drunk driving takes on our country, the financial impact is devastating as well: based on 2010 numbers (the most recent year for which cost data is available), impaired-driving crashes cost the United States $49.8 billion annually.

Source: ots.ca.gov/