Making the choice to drive under the influence in Colorado can end up being a costly one that leaves a serious dent in your wallet. A good Colorado DUI defense attorney will work hard to reduce your charges or get you a more lenient penalty. Repeated DUI offenses, however, may result in a court-ordered interlock restriction where you would be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID) on your car.
The device is installed onto the dashboard of the vehicle. The driver blows into the mouthpiece on the device before starting the vehicle. The IID reads the driver’s breath alcohol content or BAC level. If the driver’s BAC is elevated, he won’t be able to start the vehicle. The driver will be given the option of taking a rolling retest where he can pull over or drive to another location to safely retake the rest. If the second test reveals a high BAC, the vehicle will start, but the result will be recorded by the IID.
Drivers convicted of a first offense DUI after January 2009 who have served 30 days in jail and been approved for early reinstatement will be under an interlock restriction for 8 months. A two-year interlock required is imposed on drivers convicted of a first DUI offense with a BAC of .17 or more and drivers convicted of a second or third DUI offense. Drivers who are Habitual Traffic Offenders and have one DUI conviction after July 2000 have a four-year interlock requirement.
Drivers who attempt to operate their vehicles without an IID or attempt to tamper with the functioning of the device can lose their driver’s license and driving privileges for a year. The devices are also expensive, ranging in price from $800 to $1,000. The choice is rather simple. Driving sober saves you a ton of money and keeps you out of trouble. Driving under the influence equals a retainer fee for a good Colorado DUI defense attorney and paying for an IID.
