Ignition Interlock Devices in Colonial Heights DUI Cases
Ignition interlock devices in Colonial Heights DUI cases are portable breathalyzers that are attached to vehicles. They are designed to measure the blood alcohol content (BAC) of someone’s breath prior to the operation of a motor vehicle. If the ignition interlock detects alcohol, it would lock that individual’s engine and not allow them to operate the motor vehicle for a certain amount of time. By law, without the ignition interlock, anybody convicted of DUI with a restricted license would not be allowed to operate a motor vehicle.
If you were accused or convicted of a DUI, you could benefit from the services of an experienced defense attorney. Local lawyers know which ignition interlock companies are the best and the cheapest in certain situations, and they could point you in the right direction. If you have not yet been convicted, they could also build a defense and try to save you the hassle and expense of an ignition interlock device.
Ignition Interlock Devices
In Colonial Heights, an ignition interlock device is a requirement by statute for anyone who has been convicted of a DUI and is seeking to have a restricted driver’s license. They must be installed in every vehicle a person may be driving. They could face legal penalties if they are found operating a motor vehicle without the ignition interlock.
Generally, the ignition interlock is installed in the vehicle for a minimum of six months. However, most judges require that the ignition interlock be placed in the vehicle for the entire time that the individual is on a suspended license.
Generally, there is nothing someone could do to fight the installation of an ignition interlock device because the court does not have the authority to remove it from the person’s car if they are convicted of a DUI. Assuming it has been six months since their conviction, their attorney could petition the court to have the device removed from the car. An attorney could also fight false positives to keep their clients from being convicted of new violations based on a faulty machine.
Costs and Fees
Generally, the installation of an ignition interlock is going to cost anywhere from $100 to $200, depending on the company that the picks. There are about five different companies that operate the ignition interlock. A person could go to any one of those five approved by VASAP to have an ignition interlock installed. There is going to be roughly a $10 to $20 fee every time they have to go back and have the machine calibrated and updated. They could be very expensive over a certain amount of time.
SCRAM Bracelets
Another alcohol monitoring device used in Colonial Heights DUIs is the SCRAM bracelet. These are most often used for elevated BAC DUI cases or felony DUIs. The SCRAM bracelet is wrapped around an individual’s ankle and measures alcohol in sweat off of their skin. Every so often it shoots out a little puff of air and then sucks it back in very quickly. When it sucks the air back into the machine, it pulls the moisture off of the surface of an individual’s skin to detect the presence of ethanol alcohol.
It also picks up ethanol alcohol found in other things, such as perfume or certain body washes. When someone is on the SCRAM bracelet, they have to make sure that they read the labels of household items to avoid having a positive reading. If they receive a positive reading, it becomes their responsibility to go to the court and show them that they have not been ingesting alcohol, but it is coming out of their body through sweat due to another item.
Speak with a Colonial Heights DUI Attorney
People do not tend to respond favorably to ignition interlock devices in Colonial Heights DUI cases. Many people feel the ignition interlock is a huge pain which exposes someone to new crime violations that are outside of their control.
If you are concerned about an ignition interlock device or you need help handling other aspects of your DUI case, you should contact a skilled lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney could be your advocate at every step of a Colonial Heights DUI case.
