In Minnesota, if you are a first time DWI offender that had double the state’s blood alcohol content at .16 or are being charged with a second DWI in a ten year span, you typically face license revocation. However, the fact is that having a DWI doesn’t change that Minnesota residents still need to go places. They need to get to work, run their errands, and they might not always have reliable transport or access to public transportation in order to do so. However, if you fit the above criteria, you now may be eligible for another option that will help you get back driving sooner.
The Ignition Interlock Device Program allows drivers with a license revocation for a DWI to get back on the road sooner. Instead of revoking the license completely, it allows them to instead have a restricted license. This program, also known as the IID Program, allows people to get back to normal function faster while also making sure that they are not tempted to drink and drive again.
What Does an Ignition Interlock Device Do?
If you choose to participate in the IID Program after your DWI, professionals will install as small device in your vehicle close to the steering wheel. This device requires anyone driving the car, be it the person convicted of a DWI or anyone else borrowing it, to blow into what is essentially a breathalyzer before the car will start.
However, in order to avoid drivers attempting to game the system, you will also need to occasionally blow into it while driving as well to keep the car running. If you attempt to drive while under the influence, those events will be recorded by the system. In the IID Program, the Department of Public Safety will look over the logs. Multiple attempted violations may result in punishment.
How Long Must The Ignition Interlock Device Be Used?
Unlike Minnesota’s other DWI mandates, such as the use of whiskey plates, for some participants there is no set time limit in which a driver must use the ignition interlock device. Instead, the length of enrollment in this state program is dependent on the amount of DWI offenses that are on your record and your level of intoxication on the most recent arrest.
When you enroll in the program, they will go over your records and the unique facts of each case in order to determine the amount of time you must be in the program. You should also be aware that any violations or attempts to use the device while intoxicated may lengthen the amount of time you must use it while multiple violations may result in the revocation of your restricted license.
Enrolling in the Program
If you are facing a DWI conviction and have the option of enrolling in the IID Program, you must meet certain criteria. This includes:
- Having valid insurance on the vehicle submitted for installation
- Pass a state DWI knowledge test
- Apply for new restricted driver’s license
- Pay a fee and send the application and appropriate documents to the Department of Public Safety
- Turn over your vehicle for installation of the device once approved
While the IID program can help those convicted of a DWI get some of their driving privileges back faster, obviously the ideal situation is to not have them revoked in the first place. If you were arrested for a DWI in the Minneapolis area, don’t just take that conviction, contact us and fight back! Let Segal Defense help you get the best possible verdict.
The information presented in this article is not considered legal advice. Please contact our law office to speak to an attorney about your case.