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Regaining your driving privileges after a DUI or other impaired driving charge requires a clear path forward, and taking ownership of that path allows drivers to be empowered in their journey.
While the journey can feel overwhelming at times with the necessary paperwork to complete, requirements to understand and deadlines to complete, there is a path forward to regaining driving privileges for many drivers through an ignition interlock device (IID).
An IID is a small device installed in a vehicle that requires the driver to provide a passing breath sample before the car can start. It measures Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC), and if the reading is above the limit set by the driver’s state program, the vehicle won’t start.
Getting an IID installed is a milestone in the journey that can set you on the path toward driving freedom, but it’s just the beginning.
Next Steps After Your IID Installation
Once an Intoxalock IID is installed in your vehicle, you’ll need to respond to device prompts, return to your service center for regular calibration appointments, follow your state’s requirements and keep up with instructions provided through your program.
It can help to think of the process as a series of smaller steps rather than one big hurdle. Knowing what to expect can make the process feel more manageable and empower you in your journey forward.
Success in your program isn’t only about passing a breath test or showing up for an appointment. It’s about building a consistent routine, and from your first test, you’ll start to see how it fits into daily driving.
While knowing how to use the device and making it part of your routine is important, you will also need to keep track of other compliance-related milestones like recurring calibration appointments. Putting those dates on your calendar will help you stay on track without extra stress.
Staying on track with your program is an ongoing process that requires attention and commitment. This applies to every step from your installation and daily use, to notifying Intoxalock of your routine car maintenance and scheduling calibration appointments, all the way to completing your program.
Because IID requirements vary by state and individual circumstances, the steps that apply to one driver may not be the same ones that apply to you. This article provides general information and is not legal advice.
Drivers with questions about a specific DUI case or license requirements should contact their monitoring authority or a qualified DUI attorney. Those who need information about ignition interlock requirements can also speak with an Intoxalock® State Specialist at 888-283-5899.
Taking Ownership of Your IID Timeline
If you’re using an ignition interlock device for the first time, the idea can sound fairly simple: provide a passing breath sample, start the car and go. In reality, the startup test is only one of your responsibilities.
Depending on your state, the device may also request random breath samples after the vehicle has started to ensure that you continue to meet the required BrAC level during the trip. If you fail one of these retests, you’ll be prompted to pull over safely. Some states require the car’s horn to sound and/or the lights to flash until the vehicle is turned off.
States decide when an IID is required, how long it must remain installed, who monitors the requirements and when calibration and removal can take place. That is why another person’s IID timeline in a different state may not tell you much about your own. The dates and instructions from your program are the ones that you’re required to follow.
For that reason, one of the most useful habits during an IID journey is to keep records of the dates, appointments, instructions and documents that apply to your case. Rather than relying on memory or someone else’s experience, use the information provided by your program as your guide.
Getting to Know Your Intoxalock Device: What to Expect at Installation
Intoxalock has worked in the ignition interlock industry for nearly four decades. The company reports helping more than 1.2 million people regain their licenses. Its ignition interlock devices meet state requirements in 46 states.
Certified technicians install every Intoxalock device. An installation usually takes one to two hours, depending on the make and model of your vehicle. You can choose to wait while the work is completed or leave your vehicle and return later.
Before the appointment ends, the technician will show you how to operate the device and answer any questions you might have. They’ll also provide you with extra mouthpieces if needed and give you a certificate of installation.
Learning how the device works, understanding its prompts, knowing when service is required and leaving with the right documentation can make your responsibilities easier to keep track of from the start.
The Intoxalock Ignition Interlock uses one-button activation and a blow-inhale-blow pattern. It also has an LED display, a fast warm-up time and the option to be programmed in English or Spanish.
Intoxalock is a leader and pioneer in its industry. The company partnered with researchers at Iowa State University in 1988 to develop an IID using alcohol-specific fuel cell technology and became the first IID company to integrate the technology, which is now an industry standard.
The company has 6,000 service centers nationwide, and more than 90% of its customers live within about 15 miles of a location. That means there may be a service center relatively close when you need to return for required appointments.
While an IID provider can help you understand how to use the device, it’s important to remember that it does not decide whether you have met the legal requirements for license reinstatement.
When an instruction or requirement is unclear, asking the appropriate authority or your IID provider for clarification is safer than relying on an assumption and potentially making a mistake. Knowing who to contact for different questions can also make it easier to keep your responsibilities straight as you move through the process to reinstate your license.
Getting Used to the IID Routine
Once using an IID becomes part of your normal driving process, the daily steps can start to feel familiar. Calibration, however, can be easier to forget about because it’s required much less often.
Depending on your state, your IID may need to be calibrated every one to three months. If your required IID period lasts several months, that can mean returning to a service center more than once before you complete the requirement.
Making it to a calibration appointment may seem like a small administrative task compared with using your IID every day, but these less frequent responsibilities are still part of completing the license reinstatement process successfully.
As an Intoxalock customer, you can use text reminders, MyAccount and the mobile app to manage your account information between visits. If you have questions about your device or an upcoming service appointment, customer support is available 24 hours a day in English and Spanish.
Doing what it takes to keep track of every requirement can help you avoid a missed step and continue working toward regaining your driving privileges.
Finishing Strong: Why Removal Is the Final Compliance Check
After months of following the rules, it can be tempting to think the requirement is finished as soon as you reach a certain calendar date. However, the date you expect your IID requirement to end and the date the device is authorized for removal may be different.
Before scheduling removal, you should confirm your eligibility with the appropriate authority (e.g., DMV) and make note of the exact date the device can be removed.
If you’re an Intoxalock customer, the company must also have the required state information and documentation on file before the device can be removed. Once everything is in place and removal has been authorized, an official Intoxalock installer disconnects the IID and sends it back to the company. You should not attempt to remove the equipment yourself.
Ultimately, compliance is about consistency. It means understanding what your state requires, using the device as instructed, keeping up with monitoring requirements and calibration appointments, responding to required tests and confirming when the IID can legally be removed.
None of these steps is the entire process on its own, but together, they can help you stay on track toward completing your IID requirement.
For information about Intoxalock Ignition Interlock services, call 888-283-5899 or speak with an Intoxalock State Specialist.
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