If you are facing criminal charges for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol for the first time in your life, you may be worried about the potential consequences. You probably know that, if the court convicts you, you could face a variety of penalties, including fines, jail time and a drivers’ license suspension. You may be wondering: Will the court mandate that you install an ignition interlock device (IID) in your car, even if this is your first DUI?
What an IID does
An ignition interlock device is a small machine connected to a breathalyzer. When you install it into your car, it has the power to prevent your ignition from starting.
Every time you get into your car, you will have to blow into the breathalyzer. If the IID detects more than the legal limit of alcohol on your breath, it will not allow you to start your car.
When you might need to install an IID
Unlike in some states, Florida law does not have strict guidelines for first-time DUI penalties. In other words, in most circumstances it is up to the judge’s individual discretion whether or not to order the use of an IID upon a first conviction, depending on the circumstances of the case.
However, if your blood alcohol content is 0.15 or above, the judge must order the use of an IID. Likewise, upon a second third, or fourth conviction for driving under the influence, you will definitely have to install an IID in all of your vehicles.
A DUI conviction can have lasting consequences, and can affect your life in many ways. Fortunately, a mandate forcing you to install an IID isn’t permanent. Once the time limit passes, you can have the devices removed from your cars and get a fresh start.
