Ignition Interlock Violations

The ignition interlock device is supposed to serve as a deterrent to those who have a drunk driving conviction. But increasingly, false readings or misunderstanding how the machine works gets many sober people in trouble with the law all over again.

Does Your Car Say You Were Drinking?

In Arizona, ignition interlock is mandatory for all DUI convictions, even on a first offense. For every violation, the interlock penalty is extended for one year. The Rosenstein Law Group has been successful in challenging those penalties.

Ignition Interlock Violation? Call Before It’s Too Late
If you received notice in the mail from the Arizona MVD, you have 15 days to request a hearing to contest the infraction. We will represent you to fight any additional punishment. Our attorney serves clients in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, and all of Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties. Call us today at 480-248-7666 for a free consultation.

The Interlock Is Not Reliable

A conditional driver’s license for a DUI suspension or revocation requires installation — at your expense — of an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. Blowing into the machine when you get behind the wheel is supposed to (a) prevent an intoxicated person from starting the car and (b) inform the MVD of the attempt.

But a growing number of Arizona citizens are facing violations when they have done nothing wrong — and many are not aware that the penalties are piling up:

• Recently a driver convicted of underage DUI who was not using the interlock device correctly. Numerous times when she blew into the machine, the car started but reported a violation. Because she did not appeal the tickets in a timely fashion, the state attempted to add 12 years onto her interlock sentence.
• Fruit smoothies have caused numerous drivers in Arizona to have to extend interlock. A delicious summer snack can end up causing significant expense and embarrassment. They tend to set off the BAC detector.

It is critical to respond to the MVD notice within 15 days. No police officer ever witnesses the violation, and there is no opportunity to prove your innocence by taking a real breathalyzer or blood test. A false reading is the word of a machine against yours. We work to cast doubt on the readings — family members and probation officers who can attest to your ongoing sobriety, experts who can testify about the machine’s inaccuracy, and demonstrating how easy it is to trigger an ignition interlock violation by doing one thing wrong when blowing. (Even a dead car battery can result in a violation.)

You CAN Challenge Interlock Violations

Call the Rosenstein Law Group at 480-248-7666 for a free case evaluation with an experienced lawyer.