Ignition Interlock Bill Signed by Crist

The driver hears a loud beeping, and picks up a rectangular device wired to the car with a mouthpiece attached to it.

“There’s the sign, here goes.” It’s called an air ignition, and it’s the main feature of a new law that gives repeat drunk drivers another chance at driving, if they install breath-test ignition locks for five years.

It’s the only way, says Mothers Against Drunk Driving, to stop an epidemic of drunks driving without a license anyway, and that’s why Governor Charlie Crist signed it, he says. It happened in Orlando, where, in the same bill, was a new license tag for Hispanic achievement, and a new law directing bicyclists to use bike lanes “whenever practical.”

A Hillsborough Deputy’s dash cam video shows a full-size pickup weaving in Brandon.

“Vehicle is weaving within the lane here,” says Deputy Larry Morrell on the tape. While critics say the interlocks can be easily defeated, this truck had one, but the driver insisted he hadn’t been drinking.

Deputy Morrell says he was telling the truth, but Morrell ended up arresting him for driving under the influence of drugs. He had no problem starting the car, because the air ignition can’t detect drugs.

It’s a growing trend, says Morrell.

“We’re finding everything from Xanax to Oxycodone, and a lot of medical, pharmaceutical issues,” Morrell said.

It’s not just drugs: deputies say they recently arrested a man driving drunk with a 14-year-old boy who was blowing into the interlock to keep the car running. What we need, they say, are higher tech interlocks to stop the cheating. Says Morrell,

“I wish we could, that interlocking device could test all sorts of drugs including alcohol, that would be a big step forward,” Morrell said.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving supports the bill — better than nothing, says Hillsborough County Coordinator Linda Unfried.

“People don’t care, they don’t care about the laws, they just go out there and they drive, so the only thing that’s going to stop them is an interlock.”

MADD says there are 30,000 Floridians with four or more DUI convictions, and many of them, they say, are still drinking and driving — license or not.

Arrested for DUI in Tampa? Contact our Tampa, Hillsborough County DUI lawyers for a free consultation:

Hillsborough County Office
1340 Orient Road
Tampa, FL 33619
Phone: 813-362-5623

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