Well, It's been 2 months since I had an ignition interlock device placed on my car, and so far so good (as good as it can possibly be when you become a slave to a device that determines whether you'll be able to start your car or not)...but that is the situation I have put myself in.
During the brief time that I've had this device on my car, I've certainly had a few inconvenient things happen to me, as well as developed some habits, and opinions about the device itself. I should first tell you that not all interlock devices are created equal. Without mentioning any company names, I did hear stories from individuals in the various classes that I had to take, that had major problems with their devices...so it IS important to look around a bit. AND...they are negotiable (especially if you offer to pay upfront, instead of monthly). There is not just one company that leases these things...there are a dozen or so in the Phoenix area alone, and they all want your business. So call around and look for a deal, but do your research and make sure it's a decent device.
I had heard good things about the Intoxalock, which is leased out locally here in Arizona by Arizona Mobile Access Technologies (http://www.arizmat.com/). The Intoxalock gives the readout of your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) instead of just a 'pass' or 'fail', like many of the other units do. It's quite easy to use, and it received good reliability reviews online as well.
The only issue that I have had with it so far is when I was driving and drinking a 7up and lemonade that I got from the machines at a fast food restaurant, and I registered a .024 during a rolling retest in the middle of the day! Just to clarify, a rolling retest is when the interlock device beeps while driving, and asks you to submit a breath sample. This is to prevent people from having a (sober) friend blow into the device upon start up, just so they can drive their car home. Rolling retests are completely random, and could happen anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes apart while you're driving the vehicle. When the unit beeps, you have 5 minutes or so to blow into it and submit a sample. If you ignore it, don't hear it, or try to race home and shut your car off, it is considered a failed test...and could result in additional penalties from the MVD.
A common occurrence that the installers warn you about, and ALMOST happened to me, is if you leave your car running while you get out and run into the gas station, or post office, etc., and the device beeps for a rolling retest. If you are not back in your car after it has been beeping for 5 minutes, it is counted as a failed test and the device will go into 'lockout' mode!
A lockout will still let you drive the car, but you have to take the car into the leasing company within 5 days or so, and pay about $90 to unlock it. If you do not bring the machine in within the 5 day period, a 'hard lockout' will occur. This will prevent the car from starting at all, so you have to get it towed into the leasing company to have it taken care of (and pay a fine, of course). Some of these things are just everyday habits that we have, but once you become a slave to an interlock device, you really need to be aware of what you are doing.
Every month, you need to bring the interlock device in to the dealer for a 're-calibration'. This is where they download the results of the unit, and test it to make sure it's working properly. All test results are reported back to the MVD for review. You also pay your monthly re-calibration fees at this time...unless you've paid for everything in advance.
The Intoxalock uses a blow, suck, blow method for submitting samples. It's quite a bit of work sometimes as you have to blow into the device for 4 seconds, suck for 2 seconds and blow again for 3-4 seconds. I don't really have any breathing issues, but I can't imagine what people with asthma or other breathing problems do. After you submit your breath sample, it will take a few more seconds to register and give you the ok to start your car (altogether you're looking at about a 20-30 second process to get the car started.
When you turn the car off, the Intoxalock device will give you 3 minutes to start the car again, without having to go through the whole testing process. It's quite easy, but a bit frustrating when it doesn't accept your sample, usually because you're blowing too soft, and it asks you to do it all over again. You are allowed 5 'fails' a month, which is anything from a .03 to .07. If you have 6 or more fails above .03 in any one month, your device will lockout.
If you register a fail during a rolling retest, it will cause the device to lockout. The MVD will give you an additional year of interlock if you register 3 fails of .08 or higher at any time during the year you have the interlock.
As part of my normal daily routine, I used mouth wash after lunch one day, hopped into my car almost immediately and registered a .086 when I blew into the device to start my car. I drank a glass of water, and waited about 15 minutes before trying again. Just make sure you start buying alcohol-free mouthwash, or wait 10 to 15 minutes before starting your car, if that's part of your daily routine.
Another piece of advice I would give, if this is something that concerns you, is to buy a portable breathalyzer to keep with you in your pocket. You can find them for $50-$60 online, and come in really handy if you grab a beer at a ballgame or a bbq, and want to make sure you are not going to register a 'fail' an hour or two later.
It would also be nice if it were a bit smaller. The unit is somewhat large and if you're trying to hide it from the cars next you at a stoplight or when you're first starting your car in a parking lot, it's necessary to duck down a bit while submitting the test.
Something else that you may not think about initially, but you come to find out eventually, is that you will have to have this device in your car any time you are getting work done on it, whether it be a wash, oil change, tire rotation, emissions test, etc...so either make sure the car is not running, or make sure you tell the person(s) working on your car to let you know if it beeps.
At the time that I am writing this (2011), it is a mandatory 12 months of interlock for first-time, non-extreme AND extreme offenders. A mandatory 18 months for first-time super-extreme (BAC above .20).
UPDATE: On April 29, 2011 (just a few weeks prior to me writing this, and about a month after getting my interlock device installed), the SB 1200 bill was signed in Arizona. In a nutshell, SB 1200 makes numerous changes to DUI laws, including reducing the time a first-time non-extreme DUI offender must have a vehicle interlock device on his or her vehicle from 12 months to 6 months, if the person completes an alcohol education program and meets other requirements.
I received my interlock device a month too early, so I am not able to benefit from SB 1200...but from what I understand, it applies to people that get DUI's starting in 2012. I personally think this is a very reasonable bill. I think that many people can learn their lesson by having an interlock on their car for 6 months. With all of the other stuff that comes with it, both personally and financially, I don't really know what another 6 months would add to it that you wouldn't learn from in the initial 6 months.
A lot of non-extreme DUI offenders that I met were arrested after doing what so many Americans do from night-to-night...having a couple drinks with dinner, getting into a vehicle and thinking they're ok because it was just a couple glasses of wine at happy hour or at dinner with their spouse, and then making a simple traffic mistake which gives a police officer reason to pull you over...especially AFTER DARK. The rules change from day to night, it's the truth.
An interlock device is going to run you about $80-$100 per month, and many places will charge you for install and/or removal, but again this could be something that's negotiable as you're shopping around with the leasing companies. I highly recommend AZMAT (www.azmat.com). Install takes about an hour, and your monthly re-calibrations can be done in about 10 minutes with no appointment necessary.
