House wants ignition locks for DUI offenders

Virginia's House of Representatives wants all first-time DUI offenders to have to blow into a device to start their cars.

On Feb. 10, the house passed legislation that would require ignition interlocks be installed in offender's cars, forcing drivers to blow into the device to start their car. The interlock measures the alcohol content in the driver's blood, and can prevent the car from starting if too high.

The Senate, now considering the bill, moved it to its Courts and Justice committee.

"In polling that's been done I can say it has widespread support. The legislators on the House side passed it 84 to 13 in the final vote, and that was legislators from all parts of the state who were in support of the bill," said Mother's Against Drunk Driving spokesman Christopher Konschak. "On the Senate side, we've really never been able to get the bill to the full Senate because it gets killed in a smaller committee every time, and their concern is always its too harsh of a penalty for someone who has driven drunk one time."

The bill is part of MADD's effort to require ignition interlocks on every car of every person convicted for DUI. Currently, Virginia does not require the lock for first offenders, unless the offender's blood alcohol content is twice the legal limit.

"It wouldn't matter if it was your first offense or your 30th offense, and hopefully you wouldn't be driving if it was your 30th offense, but…it would be mandatory," said Konshack.

The legislation is one of many alcohol-related bills that have gained traction this year in Richmond. Some bills include instituting harsher penalties for school bus drivers convicted of DUI, removing a mandate that an officer be present during a breathalyzer test and placing limits on where families can allow underage family members to consume alcohol.

"As Virginia's numbers of alcohol-related traffic fatalities remain largely unchanged in the last 10 years, these bills are demonstrative that the commonwealth's patience with both drunken drivers and teen drinkers has worn thin," said Virginia-based Washington Regional Alcohol Program President Kurt Gregory Erickson.

Virginia officials said the number of alcohol-related deaths in the state dropped last year to the lowest number since 1966. With the exception of the 2005 double-digit decline in alcohol-related traffic fatalities, the state saw a 2.74 percent decline in traffic deaths between 1999 and 2008, said Erickson.

The ignition interlock bill is MADD's major focus this year. Konshack said the technology would reduce or eliminate court-issued restrictions that, for instance, limit offenders to driving to and from work. The organization is also looking at another piece of technology that can be installed by automakers -- a steering wheel that can determine BAC by analyzing the driver's fingertips.

If approved, the bill would require offenders to keep interlocks on their cars for six months, at a cost of about $65 a month. The driver cannot have one "positive start," -- blow into the interlock while over the limit -- during that six months or the six-month period starts again.

The interlock works like a "black box" data recorder on an airplane, and the information reviewed by state-sponsored alcohol programs such as Virginia's Alcohol Safety Action program.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.