If you have been placed under arrest and charged with a drunk driving offense, you may well feel scared and unsure of what to expect next. With good reason, you will be wondering what type of impact these events may have on your life. For many people, the potential loss of driving privileges often associated with a driving under the influence conviction can be devastating. If nothing else, the inability to drive may all but impede your ability to keep your job and support yourself and your family.
Some people qualify to reinstate their driving privileges with the installation and use of an ignition interlock device. Law enforcement agencies and others tout IIDs for their purported ability to prevent repeat instances of drunk driving and to reduce the number of accidents related thereto. However, The New York Times found recently that IIDs open up new hazards as well.
Car and Driver magazine reported on how ignition interlock devices exacerbate distracted driving by requiring a driver to take rolling retests while actively driving. These tests occur at random times and force a driver to remove a hand from the steering wheel to hold and manipulate the device during the test. A driver’s attention must be paid to the test process and they may need to read the device display as well.
If you would like to learn more about your rights after an arrest for suspected drunk driving, and the options present to defend yourself against these types of charges, please feel free to visit the impaired operations charges and defendant’s assistance page of our Pennsylvania criminal defense website.
