Introducing the Ignition Interlock

The sound of sirens fills the Saturday night air as ambulances surround the twisted metal of two automobiles. This scene, while somewhat morbid, is fairly typical in instances of alcohol-related car crashes, which unfortunately are fairly typical in our society.

Of every violent crime, drunk driving is the one of the most frequently committed in the United States. In 2003, 1.5 million people were arrested for drinking and driving, and according to the Clinton County district attorney, 600 of those people live in Clinton County. But 2003, of course, was before the inception of the ignition interlock.

The Ignition Interlock can easily be mounted just about anywhere in a car

The ignition interlock, manufactured by Dräger Safety Diagnostics, Inc., is the latest craze in drunk driving prevention. Similar to a breathalyzer, the ignition interlock is a hardwired dashboard controlled device. Five seconds after starting the car, the driver is required to breathe into the ignition interlock, which is only available at one location in Clinton County: Big Apple Audio. If the driver fails to provide a breath sample or if the breath sample calculates that the driver's blood alcohol content is more than 0.02 percent, the car simply will not start.

“Drunk driving is an issue that receives an awful lot of attention,” says Rich Cantwell, Clinton County's district attorney. “This is not 100 percent foolproof, but it's the closest we can come for this amount of money.”

“This is not 100 percent foolproof, but it's the closest we can come for this amount of money.”

Don't worry; Rich Cantwell passed the Ignition Interlock breath test

The ignition interlock is voluntary, and is not yet mandated by the court. You can choose to have it put in your car and it is typically obtained for a year or two by first-time offenders who want to keep themselves in line. “It's not punitive, but it saves everybody else,” says Michelle Denhoff, Eastern United States Manager of Dräger.

Interestingly enough, Plattsburgh's college town status has little to do with the prevalence of drunk driving. Of the 600 annual incidents, only five have taken place on the Plattsburgh State University campus since January 2005. Drinking and driving, an issue for which college students are notorious, is possibly not as much of an issue on the Plattsburgh State campus because of the relatively cheap taxi fares and proximity to downtown Plattsburgh. “Since the bars are so close, we don't even need to consider driving,” says 21-year-old senior Bergita Nokaj. Nokaj lives in Renaissance Village and can walk to popular downtown destinations such as Peabody's, the Monopole, Fat Freddie's, and Tabu in under 15 minutes.

“These panels show the impact your decision to drink and drive can have on other people. It's a life-changing experience”

Before the ignition interlock, drunk driving, which can cause prison sentences of anywhere from 15 days to four years, was regulated by traffic blocks, random driver checks, and victim impact panels, in which people would go to hear personal stories. “These panels show the impact your decision to drink and drive can have on other people. It's a life-changing experience,” says Cantwell.

One thing is for sure; drinking and driving is not possible with the ignition interlock. The law dictates that you're impaired at a Blood Alcohol Content (B.A.C.) of 0.08, or after consuming one can of beer, one shot of liquor, or one glass of wine. To eliminate any margin of error, the ignition interlock mandates a B.A.C. of 0.02 or less.

The law dictates the you can't operate a vehicle after consuming more than 1.5 ounces of hard alcohol

And don't even think of blowing a breath sample for someone else or vice versa; not only is it a misdemeanor, but the ignition interlock requires random breath samples throughout your drive, just in case. If the driver fails to provide a clean breath sample within six minutes, the horn will start honking or the lights will start flashing, surefire ways to attract the attention of the police. “It's a very effective tool,” says Cantwell. “It's out, ready, and in action."

What do you think of the ignition interlock? Let us know!

The only ignition interlock distributor in all of Clinton, Franklin, and Essex County is Big Apple Audio, located on Route 9, behind Derocher's Auto Dealership.

The address is:
10 South Peru Street
Plattsburgh, New York 12901
(518)561-8230

Big Apple Audio is open Monday through Saturday, from 9AM to 5PM. It is closed on Sundays; however, road service is available during off-hours at $50 per hour, plus 32 cents per mile.

Costs:
Installation: $110
De-installation: $35
To change vehicles: $45
Calibration/monitor checks: $85
Violation reset: $50
Missed appointment: $25
Bad check: $25