Posted on September 16, 2016 in OWI

Every year, thousands are injured in drunken driving accidents, and almost one out of three traffic deaths on American roads involve drunk driving. Wisconsin is no exception; in 2014 the Badger State saw nearly 2,700 injuries and 162 fatalities from alcohol related accidents.

To help reduce these frightening statistics, on July 1, 2010 Wisconsin Act 100 went into effect, which requires judges to order an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) in certain cases.

What is an ignition interlock device?

This is a device, similar to a breathalyzer, which is installed in the vehicle and measures the amount of alcohol in the driver's system. The driver must breathe into it, and if the alcohol level exceeds the pre-programmed amount, the device temporary locks the vehicle's ignition. The first fail results in the ignition being locked for a few minutes; each successive fail will disable the vehicle for a longer period. The data from each breath sample are sent to the institution that ordered the device.

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