Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety issued a report last month that faulted Pennsylvania for being "dangerously behind" on their highway safety laws including the ignition interlock device.
The non-profit group describes itself as an "alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer." Advocates encourages the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that save lives and reduce injuries."
After analyzing the report, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette listed some of the more egregious issues with current Pennsylvania traffic laws and it included the fact that not all DUI offenders are required to install an ignition interlock device.
In the report, states were given either partial or full credit for having certain laws or restrictions in place. For the ignition interlock device section, Pennsylvania received partial credit because, as FindLaw explains, all people convicted of their second DUI must have an ignition interlock device installed in their car for a year. The group gave full credit to the states that required an ignition interlock device to be installed after the first DUI conviction.
FindLaw goes on to explain that an ignition interlock device is a machine that can detect your BAC level when you breathe into it. If it detects that your BAC level is at 0.025% or higher, the car that the ignition interlock device is installed in will not start. In fact, it will be locked down for 5 minutes. After that, each failed attempt to register below 0.025% will lock the vehicle down for an additional 30 minutes.
In Pennsylvania, after you have been ordered to install an ignition interlock device, you will have to have it professionally installed in all of your vehicles (including work vehicles unless your PA DWI lawyer can get you an employment exemption).
If you fail to have the device installed, you could face a minimum $300 fine as well as a maximum of 90 days behind bars. If you have a BAC level of 0.025% and no ignition interlock device, your penalties will increase to a minimum $1000 fine and a minimum of 90 days in jail.
Related Resources:
- Pennsylvania DUI Penalties (FindLaw Knowledge Base)
- Pennsylvania's Ignition Interlock Device Law (FindLaw Knowledge Base)
- PA DWI Lawyer Directory (FindLaw)
- Philadelphia-Area Ignition Interlock Service Providers (The Philadelphia DUI Blog)
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