What Is Intoxalock?

We live in a society where, at the age of 16, you have the privilege to drive, and at 21, you have the right to drink alcohol. Combining these two activities is never a good idea and, of course, it’s illegal. If convicted of Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), the Indiana Government can’t take away your right to drink, but it can take away your driving privilege. The problem is that we also live in a structured society, so losing the ability to drive can affect your ability to get to your job and otherwise significantly disrupt your life.  

A potential solution can come from having Alderman Automotive install an Intoxalock device in the OWI offender’s car to make sure subsequent driving is done while sober. Intoxalock is a hand-held ignition interlock device (IID) that is about the size of a cell phone. Once installed a vehicle, it integrates with the ignition system. To start the vehicle, the driver must provide an “inhale, blow” breath sample into the device. The device then calculates the driver’s blood alcohol content and displays a message informing the driver if he or she passes or fails the right to start the vehicle.  

In Indiana, the Breath Alcohol Concentration (BAC) must be below 0.020, or the device will prevent the ignition from starting the vehicle. After the vehicle has started, the device will require periodic tests while the vehicle is being driven to detect drinking after the vehicle has been started. A series of “rolling retests” occur periodically as the vehicle is being driven, and breath samples are given with the same process used to start the vehicle initially. 

Whether or not one can regain the privilege to drive is up to the circumstances of the arrest and the judge’s discretion. If allowed, the requirements will be to: 

• Check your BMV for eligibility 
• Pay any required fines to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles 
• Complete any required probation, treatment, or community service obligations 
• Install an IID from an approved provider and provide proof of installation 

If allowed, the Intoxalock installation must be done by a certified installer, such as Alderman Automotive, at a cost to the vehicle owner of between $50 and $150 and/or $2.50 to $3.50 per day. Generally, after an OWI offense, an Interlock device is required for 60 days, although this can be longer if the initial arrest revealed a BAC of over 0.15 percent. 

While breathing into a device before starting your car may seem like an annoyance, it is nothing compared to the devastating consequences of being unable to drive for an extended period. Of course, we all want our roadways to be safe for ourselves and our families. If you or someone you know could benefit from an Intoxalock installation, contact the Alderman Automotive Service Center for details.