Ignition interlock devices - not just for DUI offenders

With some of the toughest DUI laws in the country in Arizona, a growing number of parents of teenaged drivers in the Valley have decided to take a drastic step in the name of safety. According to Smart Start Arizona, a company that installs and monitors ignition interlock devices, more parents are voluntarily installing the devices on their teens' vehicles.
An ignition interlock device measures a person's breath alcohol before allowing the vehicle to start. If the breath alcohol is above .05, the vehicle will not start, and a record of the failed test is stored in the unit's memory. Interlocks are mandatory for anyone convicted of a DUI in the state of Arizona. Smart Start manager, Frank Bobadilla says dozens of parents have had the device installed in their teens' cars in the last few months. "I guess a lot of them are remembering what they were doing when they were young," says Bobadilla. "And the way that the laws are now in the state of Arizona, they're not willing to take that chance."
Drivers blow into a handheld unit for six seconds before they are given a "pass" or "fail" message. That data is stored in a black box and downloaded once a month. The monthly reports are then emailed or faxed to the parent. A driver is given a number of points for failed tests before the device is either reset, or locks the car from being driven.