Ignition Interlock Device

An ignition interlock device is a portable breath testing unit that is attached to a person’s car, preventing the car from being driven if the breath alcohol content of the driver is over certain preset limits – the limit usually being any alcohol at all. The device is usually fitted after a court order and their use is becoming more popular in San Diego DUI cases.

The fitting of an IID is now mandatory on the car of someone convicted of multiple DUIs within 10 years, and while they are usually not fitted after a first offense they can be if the case had any enhancements, such as being over twice the legal limit with a BAC of 0.15% or more. Willingly submitting to having an IID fitted to your car can give your San Diego DUI lawyer an excellent chance of reducing the other possible penalties against you and can help you to avoid jail time or higher fines.

To prevent another person from blowing into the breathalyzer machine the driver must learn certain breathing patterns so the machine can confirm it is them blowing into it. It also requires further confirmation breath tests from the driver at 15 minute intervals after the car has been started and any failed test will result in a violation being recorded and reported to the court. It is a crime for anyone else to blow into the machine for the purpose of bypassing the system.