Ignition Interlock Stats

 Hawaii's ignition interlock law, introduced by Rep. Sharon Har, is about to hit the one year anniversary.  How did it do?

The statistics are impressive, and even MADD officials are surprised it has been so successful.  Here is the KHON2 report.

Since the law started on January 1st of this year, the law has prevented drunk drivers with a blood alcohol level over .08 on 466 occasions.

983 drivers have had the ignition interlock device installed in their cars.  

Of those arrested for DUI, about 15% have participated in the program.  Compared to national statistics, that is a very good rate.

Rep. Har says she plans to introduce legislation in 2012 to improve the law.  Currently, the law allows only first time DUI offenders to participate.  Har wants to broaden participation to repeat offenders.

Drunk drivers will have breathalyzers installed in vehicles

Representative Sharon Har has one more thing to celebrate this New Year. A bill she introduced requiring drivers convicted of drinking under the influence of alcohol to have a breathalyzer installed in their vehicles will become law on Saturday, January 1, 2011. Rep. Har was inspired to introduce the legislation after being injured in a 2007 head-on collision in which a multiple-conviction drunk driver smashed into her car.

“After several years of hard work, I am so pleased that the ignition interlock program will finally be law in our state,” said Rep. Har. “As a victim of a repeat drunk driver, I will feel safer knowing that these devices will now be used in Hawaii, and I also hope their existence serves as an important reminder to not drive while intoxicated in the first place. By deterring drivers from getting behind the wheel while drunk, ignition interlock devices are certain to save lives on our state’s roads.”

The breathalyzer, known widely as ignition interlock, forces a driver to blow into it to start the vehicle. The system will not allow the car to start if the the alcohol concentration on the breath is .02 or higher. To deter tampering with the device, a camera mounted on the windshield will record who is blowing into the device. In addition, frequent retests - monitored by vendors and reported to the state - are administered throughout the duration of the drive.

What you should know about the new law:

•  Taxpayers will not be paying for bill; DUI offenders will have to pay $84 for installation and a monthly $89 leasing fee.
• First-time DUI offenders will have their license revoked for a year but may continue to drive with an interlock device.
• Two-time DUI offenders will have their license revoked for 18 months but may continue to drive with an interlock device.
• Three-time DUI offenders will have their license revoked for two years but may continue to drive with an interlock device. 
• Offenders arrested for DUI more than three times will have their license revoked for five to 10 years and will no longer be able to drive. 
• It will be a crime to refuse a breath or blood alcohol test, offenders will be charged with a petty misdemeanor instead of an administrative violation.
• Drivers who refuse to a submit to alcohol testing will have their license revoked for a year but may drive with an interlock device.

Appropriate as one of the final blog posts of 2010, it should serve as a reminder to all of us to celebrate safely and drive cautiously as we ring in the New Year. Hau'oli Makahiki Hou from the House Blog team!

Rep. Har on Vehicle Ignition Interlock

Rep. Sharon Har, who was hit by a drunk driver in 2006, has been advocating for vehicle ignition interlock systems since last session. Today, The Advertiser carries her op-ed on the issue. Here's an excerpt:

One of our greatest challenges in this legislative session is to dispel the many inaccuracies that have been reported during the early phases of ignition interlock.

The creativity and sophistication that offenders have shown when these programs were first introduced have allowed the interlock ignition industry to develop strategies that make the system accurate and successful. Temperature sensors make certain that fans or other compressed-air devices are not being used to cheat the system. Also, a small camera can be mounted on the steering wheel to match specific breath tests with a picture of the person giving the sample.

Running retests, which randomly call for an additional test while driving, guard against drinking after the initial test. These are just some of the measures in place to safeguard the public and the offender from the hazards of driving intoxicated.

Features will make it difficult for drunk drivers to get around ignition interlock

Leah Marx is the only person in Hawaii who must submit to an alcohol breath test before starting up her car. If she blows higher blood alcohol content than the preset limit, her car won't start.

No. Marx has not had any DUIs. In fact, she is the Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), and she is testing the capabilities of an alcohol ignition interlock system that controls a car's ignition and won't start if the driver is intoxicated.

Hawaii lawmakers are now examining the feasibility of requiring DUI offenders to install these devices into their cars, as called for by a resolution introduced by Rep. Joseph M. Souki (D8-Wailuku, Waihee, Waiehu, Puuohala, Waikapu). Hawaii is one of five states that does not already use interlocks as DUI mandatory sentencing, and in 2006 was the worst in the nation in percent of alcohol-related traffic deaths.

While listening to FM 93.9 on my way to work today, I caught a discussion between the morning show hosts regarding ignition interlocks, and two of them were in favor of a new regulation -- one even suggested adding electric shock components to the seat to punish offenders who fail tests. However, Gregg Hammer wasn't convinced that the interlock could keep offenders from cheating the system. People can get around them, he said. Sober friends of offenders could blow into the device for them.

He's right. That could happen. But there are several anti-circumventing features that make it less likely for an offender to cheat the test.

• Frequent retests are administered throughout the duration of the the drive. The first retest occurs 2 minutes after the starts. Offenders have around 6 minutes to pull over and take the test. Another test may occur around 45 minutes later.
  
• A camera above the dashboard automatically snaps a photo when a test is taken.
  The device is not easily administered. It requires specific training and may be difficult for an intoxicated person to explain.
  
• Results of tests are monitored by vendors and reported to the state. Experts recommend appointing state monitors to offenders, much like a probation officer, in order to address failed tests, cheating attempts and alcohol-abuse.

Offenders will pay $70-$150 for installation and $75 a month. In most states, lawmakers set up funds with specific criteria to aid those unable to pay.

Photo: Provided by Smart Start, Inc.