A person convicted of a driving under the influence offense in Florida may lose her or his driving privileges for a while as part of the overall set of penalties associated with these types of offenses.
The inability to drive may inhibit a person’s ability to keep a job or take care of a family member. The use of an ignition interlock device allows some people the chance to drive after a DUI event.
Who might need an IID in Florida
As explained by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle division, not every driver convicted of drunk driving loses the right to drive. Some people may retain their driver’s licenses if they never experienced a prior DUI event. That said, a first drunk driving conviction may still result in the loss of driving privileges if the defendant had a minor in the vehicle at the time of the arrest. A blood alcohol content level exceeding 0.15% may also contribute to the loss of a driver’s license.
“P” restrictions for IID use
A driver who qualifies to use an ignition interlock device may receive a special designation on her or his driver’s license. The “P” restriction indicates the person may only operate a vehicle equipped with an IID.
Using an IID
According to Car and Driver magazine, use of an ignition interlock device occurs at two distinct times. First, a driver must take and pass a breath test before starting a vehicle’s engine. Then, the driver must take and pass breath tests while driving. These rolling retests happen an times unknown to the driver, contributing to accidents in some cases due to the distraction they cause.