Ignition interlock legislation to stop drunk driving

Jefferson City, MO

Imagine having to breathe into something before you can start you car.

Such a device is designed to prevent drunk drivers from starting their cars and some Missouri lawmakers think it will put the brakes on DWI offences.

This legislation is aimed toward keeping repeat drunk drivers from driving drunk. The ignition interlock is basically a breathalyzer device. It would be installed on cars belonging to repeat DWI and blood alcohol content offenders, to make it impossible for them to drive drunk.

"You're going to see a hundred cars," said Republican Representative Neal St. Onge. "Statistically, three of them are going to be drivers with multiple DWIs."

For many, this is a sobering statistic, a statistic that spurred the bill's sponsors to promote the interlock device bill.

The measure would require any driver found guilty of two or more DWI or BAC charges to have the device installed on their cars.

So if a person has been out drinking, if he were to get into his car he would have to blow into the device and if he blew a .025 or higher, his ignition would lock up when he tries to start his car, and he wouldn't be able to go anywhere."

"The thought that we could let these people continue to drive," said Republican Representative Ryan Silvery. "And let them get off without a felony conviction, even if they've had three, four, five drunk driving convictions, simply because they were municipal or county offenses, it just blew my mind.

If passed, the measure would require the driver to pay the fees to have the interlock device installed, which is not cheap. It costs between $400 to $500 to rent and have installed. And that is on top of all the other fees that come with a BAC or DWI charge.

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