Let's revisit the topic of ignition interlock, shall we?
Pennsylvania DUI attorneys know that the topic of ignition interlock is an important one. The state of Pennsylvania has essentially been lagging in its highway safety laws. Of those laws, one of them relates to the ignition interlock system. Pennsylvania has been criticized for not mandating the ignition interlock system for all of its DUI offenders.
Now, a Chester County lawmaker is stepping up to the plate and introducing legislation that would mandate first-time DUI offenders to install ignition interlock devices in their vehicles.
The lawmaker is State Representative Tom Houghton. Houghton is proposing DUI legislation which would update the existing law, to include harsher penalties for first time offenders.
As the law currently stands, repeat offenders are required to equip their vehicles with the ignition interlock device. First time offenders, on the other hand, have no such requirement.
The proposed DUI legislation would also increase the required time period for ignition interlock for repeat offenders, with over two DUI offenses. The proposed law would also include a "rolling check," whereby the driver would need to blow into the ignition interlock system at periodic intervals, in order to keep the vehicle on.
Fortunately for Rep. Tom Houghton, the bill has generated support on both sides of the aisle.
Could Pennsylvania be seeing DUI law reform soon? Quite possibly. But for now, Pa DUI lawyers remain concerned with the current ignition interlock rules, which according to critics, are not harsh enough.
Related Resources
- What is Ignition Interlock? (FindLaw's Philadelphia DUI Law Blog)
- Pennsylvania's Ignition Interlock Device Law (FindLaw's KnowledgeBase)
- Browse PA DUI Attorneys (FindLaw)
ShareThis
