ignition lock dui insurance avoidance

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) believes technology can do what state laws, public opinion and stern car insurance penalties have not: Keep first-time drunken drivers from repeating their offenses.

While drunken-driving laws across the United States have changed radically since MADD ‘s founding in 1980, progress stalled in the mid-1990s.

“Initially, states focused primarily on either repeat offenders or first-time offenders who had a very high blood alcohol content of 0.15 or 0.20,” says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

MADD, IIHS and other groups were pushing hard on many fronts, encouraging police, lawmakers and courts to:

Impound and even sell convicted drunken drivers’ vehicles.Revoke drunken drivers’ licenses for longer periods.Toughen penalties for first-time offenders, including mandatory jail time.Require convicted drunken drivers to use an ignition interlock device, a piece of high-tech auto equipment mean to prevent a drunken driver from operating a vehicle.
Five years ago, proponents of stiff punishment for drunken-driving offenses decided to recalibrate their approach, says Frank Harris, state legislative affairs manager at MADD. They stepped back to see what worked.

By far the best results came from ignition interlock devices. That’s why safety advocates have put most of their recent energy into making sure drunks can’t start their cars.

An ignition interlock device is an in-car Breathalyzer. The driver blows into a device the size of a chunky mobile phone. If a measurable amount of alcohol is detected, the car simply won’t start.

Data like these are what persuade the advocates:

New Mexico’s 6-year-old law requiring ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunken drivers, including first-time offenders, is credited with a 35 percent reduction in drunken-driving deaths.Arizona, with a similar law, has reduced drunken-driver deaths by 46 percent since 2007.The Centers for Disease Control recently reviewed research on interlock devices and concluded they reduce re-arrest rates by 67 percent . The CDC now recommends the devices for every convicted drunken driver.
Since states make the drunken-driving laws, McCartt and Harris say, the push now is to convince every legislature to require every single person convicted of drunken driving to use an ignition interlock device for at least six continuous months.

Such laws would apply to everyone convicted of driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more. There would be no exceptions, not even for first-timers.

“From MADD’s perspective, as long as that offender is learning to drive sober and the car is not being driven drunk, then the role of the ignition airlock is effective,” says Harris.

At this point, only a small proportion of convicted drunken drivers actually ends up using the devices, says the U.S. Department of Health’s Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

Even though most states use interlocks, they require them only under certain circumstances – for example, with a particularly high blood alcohol count, or on a second conviction. . (You can see your state’s penalties–and calculate your own safe-driving limit–with CarInsurance.com’s What’s Your Limit? tool)

Today, 14 states–Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington–require ignition interlock devices for every convicted drunken driver.

As you’d imagine, wily drivers try to fool ignition interlock devices, getting others–even children–to blow into the device for them. They try using canned air and other evasions.

But device makers keep improving the technology. Devices now include “running retests:” Drivers are periodically required to pull to the side of the road and submit to another test within a brief time span. If a driver flunks the retest, the car keeps running – it would be dangerous to stop it on a highway–and the horn honks and the lights flash to summon police. (Here’s a MADD FAQ on the devices.)

You not only blow into the device, but also pay for the privilege. Private companies usually provide the services. Installation can cost as much as $200, and monthly fees range from $50 to $100.

The cost of an ignition interlock device isn’t covered under your car insurance policy–which, of course, you’ll be paying more for as well. Analysis of rates pulled through CarInsurance.com’s car insurance comparison tool suggests you should expect your insurance rates to double. Surcharges for a drunken-driving conviction do vary widely from state to state and even more so from insurer to insurer.

Although makers of ignition interlocks have proposed otherwise, no insurance company offers a discount for installation of a device.

Despite the apparent effectiveness of interlocks, many other tactics still are in use. They include:

License suspension and jail time. In all states but Wisconsin (where it’s a traffic ticket), driving while intoxicated is a crime. Officers make 1.4 million DUI arrests each year, says MADD. Every state defines drunken driving as having a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more. In all states and Washington, D.C., it’s illegal to buy alcohol before age 21 and the legal blood alcohol limit is lower for teens–0.02 for drivers under 21 vs. 0.08 for those over 21.

But beyond that, penalties – and their application – diverge a lot. Some states let you refuse a Breathalyzer test and submit instead to having your license revoked. Some mandate jail time, even for first-time offenders, but in practice offer diversion programs with alternative penalties like community service, monitoring, treatment or license revocation. (See “What happens if you refuse a Breathalyzer.”)

Vehicle seizures. Some states allow communities to seize – and sometimes even sell–vehicles belonging to people convicted of driving drunk. Stiff impound fees and penalties must be paid to redeem the vehicle. But the approach isn’t catching on, Harris said, probably because exceptions–other family members need to drive, for example–make the programs difficult to enforce.

Special license plates . A few states assign special vehicle plates, or a series of license-plate numbers, to convicted drunken drivers. Ohio uses red and yellow plates different from other state licenses on vehicles that have been impounded for drunken driving. Georgia and Minnesota use special plates on a limited basis. Oregon and Iowa have experimented with similar programs that aren’t currently active. Special plates aren’t a widely used tactic. Here’s a roundup of state special license laws, from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The bottom line, say interlock advocates, is that even when jail time is served, it doesn’t teach the convicted person how to drive sober. It is hoped that ignition interlock devices will do so.

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dui can be avoided with interlock.

Merry Christmas. HO HO.. enjoy the festive season.. yes you need to drink and enjoy the season but do not indulge in dui- dui means driving under influence or drunk driving. Believe me a dui insurnace is costly, however you can get better rates here.

Today lets have technology help us avoid a dui with interlocks and the MADD opinion on this. Yes, interlocks are the best thing, especially when you know that you have a drink or two.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) believes technology can do what state laws, public opinion and stern car insurance penalties have not: Keep first-time drunken drivers from repeating their offenses.

While drunken-driving laws across the United States have changed radically since MADD ‘s founding in 1980, progress stalled in the mid-1990s.

“Initially, states focused primarily on either repeat offenders or first-time offenders who had a very high blood alcohol content of 0.15 or 0.20,” says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

MADD, IIHS and other groups were pushing hard on many fronts, encouraging police, lawmakers and courts to:

Impound and even sell convicted drunken drivers’ vehicles.Revoke drunken drivers’ licenses for longer periods.Toughen penalties for first-time offenders, including mandatory jail time.Require convicted drunken drivers to use an ignition interlock device, a piece of high-tech auto equipment mean to prevent a drunken driver from operating a vehicle.
Five years ago, proponents of stiff punishment for drunken-driving offenses decided to recalibrate their approach, says Frank Harris, state legislative affairs manager at MADD. They stepped back to see what worked.

By far the best results came from ignition interlock devices. That’s why safety advocates have put most of their recent energy into making sure drunks can’t start their cars.

An ignition interlock device is an in-car Breathalyzer. The driver blows into a device the size of a chunky mobile phone. If a measurable amount of alcohol is detected, the car simply won’t start.

Data like these are what persuade the advocates:

New Mexico’s 6-year-old law requiring ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunken drivers, including first-time offenders, is credited with a 35 percent reduction in drunken-driving deaths.Arizona, with a similar law, has reduced drunken-driver deaths by 46 percent since 2007.The Centers for Disease Control recently reviewed research on interlock devices and concluded they reduce re-arrest rates by 67 percent . The CDC now recommends the devices for every convicted drunken driver.
Since states make the drunken-driving laws, McCartt and Harris say, the push now is to convince every legislature to require every single person convicted of drunken driving to use an ignition interlock device for at least six continuous months.

Such laws would apply to everyone convicted of driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more. There would be no exceptions, not even for first-timers.

“From MADD’s perspective, as long as that offender is learning to drive sober and the car is not being driven drunk, then the role of the ignition airlock is effective,” says Harris.

At this point, only a small proportion of convicted drunken drivers actually ends up using the devices, says the U.S. Department of Health’s Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

Even though most states use interlocks, they require them only under certain circumstances – for example, with a particularly high blood alcohol count, or on a second conviction. . (You can see your state’s penalties–and calculate your own safe-driving limit–with CarInsurance.com’s What’s Your Limit? tool)

Today, 14 states–Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington–require ignition interlock devices for every convicted drunken driver.

As you’d imagine, wily drivers try to fool ignition interlock devices, getting others–even children–to blow into the device for them. They try using canned air and other evasions.

But device makers keep improving the technology. Devices now include “running retests:” Drivers are periodically required to pull to the side of the road and submit to another test within a brief time span. If a driver flunks the retest, the car keeps running – it would be dangerous to stop it on a highway–and the horn honks and the lights flash to summon police. (Here’s a MADD FAQ on the devices.)

You not only blow into the device, but also pay for the privilege. Private companies usually provide the services. Installation can cost as much as $200, and monthly fees range from $50 to $100.

The cost of an ignition interlock device isn’t covered under your car insurance policy–which, of course, you’ll be paying more for as well. Analysis of rates pulled through CarInsurance.com’s car insurance comparison tool suggests you should expect your insurance rates to double. Surcharges for a drunken-driving conviction do vary widely from state to state and even more so from insurer to insurer.

Although makers of ignition interlocks have proposed otherwise, no insurance company offers a discount for installation of a device.

Despite the apparent effectiveness of interlocks, many other tactics still are in use. They include:

License suspension and jail time. In all states but Wisconsin (where it’s a traffic ticket), driving while intoxicated is a crime. Officers make 1.4 million DUI arrests each year, says MADD. Every state defines drunken driving as having a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more. In all states and Washington, D.C., it’s illegal to buy alcohol before age 21 and the legal blood alcohol limit is lower for teens–0.02 for drivers under 21 vs. 0.08 for those over 21.

But beyond that, penalties – and their application – diverge a lot. Some states let you refuse a Breathalyzer test and submit instead to having your license revoked. Some mandate jail time, even for first-time offenders, but in practice offer diversion programs with alternative penalties like community service, monitoring, treatment or license revocation. (See “What happens if you refuse a Breathalyzer.”)

Vehicle seizures. Some states allow communities to seize – and sometimes even sell–vehicles belonging to people convicted of driving drunk. Stiff impound fees and penalties must be paid to redeem the vehicle. But the approach isn’t catching on, Harris said, probably because exceptions–other family members need to drive, for example–make the programs difficult to enforce.

Special license plates . A few states assign special vehicle plates, or a series of license-plate numbers, to convicted drunken drivers. Ohio uses red and yellow plates different from other state licenses on vehicles that have been impounded for drunken driving. Georgia and Minnesota use special plates on a limited basis. Oregon and Iowa have experimented with similar programs that aren’t currently active. Special plates aren’t a widely used tactic. Here’s a roundup of state special license laws, from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The bottom line, say interlock advocates, is that even when jail time is served, it doesn’t teach the convicted person how to drive sober. It is hoped that ignition interlock devices will do so.

Yes, get your interlock – no du – no dui insurance. If you need dui insurance, get it here dui insurance rates would be low.

What are the changes in Connecticut DUI law for 2012

A new Connecticut law designed to protect the public from DUI offenders and help offenders get proper treatment is currently in its final stages of revision.

Mandatory Ignition interlok devices

Among other things, the new law will allow repeat drunk drivers to keep their licenses by using ignition interlock devices and allow the Department of Correction to release DUI offenders from prison to serve their mandatory minimum sentences as home confinement.

The law-which was prompted in part by lobbying from Mothers Against Drunk Driving-is set to take effect on January 1. Defense attorneys that handle DUI cases widely support the law, which will allow offenders to continue with their lives and get treatment.

According to MADD, the law is a much needed reform of the current system. Statistics show that 78 percent of those who have had their license suspended continue to drive. The new law, which incorporates ignition interlock, will permit them to drive provided they have refrained from consuming alcohol.

It is expected that the new law will positively impact DUI fatalities. The state of New Mexico already has a similar law, and has seen a 30 percent decrease in DUI fatalities as a result.

The law isn’t as well supported by prosecutors and judges though. Among the concerns is that the Department of Correction will be overriding court sentences and releasing DUI offenders early.

MADD is currently making efforts to educate judges, prosecutors and police on the new law. In our next post, we’ll continue looking at this topic.

Other changes regarding DUI education program

Under the new law, charges may be dismissed for a first time DUI after an alcohol education program has been successfully completed. Offenders have their driver’s license suspended for 30 days.

Upon a second arrest, drivers are required to serve mandatory minimum sentences of 48 hours in prison and have their licenses suspended for 45 days. Judges will be required to order use of an ignition interlock device for one year.

The ignition interlock device was optional under previous state law. At present, around 450 state residents are estimated to be using the interlock device, but that number is expected to increase. The devices prevent offenders from starting their car if blood alcohol is detected after blowing into the device. The devices also require periodic retesting. If it detects alcohol, the vehicle’s lights and horn are activated until clean breath is blown into the device. The vehicle eventually shuts down if no clean breath is given.

Under the new law, a third arrest comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 days, a 45-day license suspension and three years use of an ignition interlock device.

A fourth conviction comes with a mandatory sentence of one year in prison, and license revocation for at least six years. If the judge approves use of an ignition interlock device, it must be used for 10 years.

The new law is harsher on drivers under the age of 21 and those convicted of vehicular manslaughter may not participate in the early release program.

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In our last post, we began discussing the results of a new report cited by Gil Kerlihowske of the National Drug Control Policy which pointed to the need for increased attention to drugged driving.

Drugged driving, like drunk driving, is a violation of Connecticut’s DUI law, and can result in similar consequences. Because both alcohol and various drugs affect driving ability, there is a strong push to battle these offenses. As we noted the National Drug Control Policy and Mothers Against Drunk Driving will be conducting a public awareness campaign to do just that.

Interestingly, the report cited by Kerlihowske indicated crashes caused by stimulants has decreased by 40 percent since 2005, while positive results for narcotics and depressants have increased by 36 percent and 39 percent.

The 2009 data also shows that alcohol often goes along with drugs. Among drivers that tested positive for any drug, 48 percent also tested positive for alcohol.

Although DUI offenses can be prosecuted without any direct evidence of a person’s blood alcohol content, drunk driving suspects are often given a breath test. A BAC above .08 will result in a presumption that the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence. An impaired driver will be arrested, their vehicle towed at their expense, and they will be taken to the police station and kept under arrest until bail.

With each DUI offenses, penalties tend to become harsher. Connecticut, like many states, takes driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs very seriously. It is important for anybody charged with DUI to obtain the best representation possible.

Source: CBS News, “Drugged driving report shows high toll among young,” David W Freeman, Monica DyBuncio, Oct 13, 2011.

Dui insurance, drunk driving prevention by cars !

News: Dui insurance or drunk driving will be prevented by cars!

News: Cars would help in preventing drunk driving and stop dui insurance or convictions.

Dui insurance or drunk driving can be and will be stopped by cars. Yes, this is true and this news has been given on 28th January 2011 when US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hailed of a quick check alcohol detector designed to prevent drunk driving. However this raised concerns about nany -state intrusions. For more information on this, you can watch the video.

You can now say good-bye to the ignintion lock system since now the in-vehicle Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS, blocks a car from moving if the driver is above the .08 legal limit and “may hold the promise for stopping drunk driving before it happens,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

It is believed that this devices could dramatically reduce the 11,000 deaths attributed to drunken driving each year, roughly one-third of all roadway fatalities in the nation.

“We believe this might turn the car into the cure for the elimination of drunk driving,” said Laura Dean-Mooney, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Dean-Mooney, LaHood and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland yesterday visited QinetiQ, a Waltham tech company, as it showcased two prototypes it envisions being available to automakers in eight to 10 years.

How would this device influence dui insurance and dui insurance companies?

Dui insurance would be drastically reduced if this device in the car counld prevent drunk driving. It is also believed that going forward, the insurance industry could offer policy-holders discounts for the devices if proven that they “demonstrably lower losses on vehicle or injury or third-party liability claims,” said Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute.

Secondly, if drunk driving accidents could be prevented than the dui insurance rates would also reduce and the need for dui insurance will be reduced. However, this is not something which would be mandatory and compulsory for the auto makers also.

In future would cars be able to decide on drunk driving and prevention of dui insurance or dui convictions?

There would be still debates and concerns on privacy are already been projected as to whether this is right for the individual and is not violation of their privacy. However, this is up to the individuals to decide, whether they want to go on paying high dui insurance premiums or want to make some efforts in preventing this.

Of course this would never stop the need for looking and comparing dui insurance quotes to get the cheap dui insurance quotes or affordable dui insurance quotes.

Your comments on this news would be welcomed.
Thanks.
Kamlesh