Editorial

Ignition interlock, one more expense, opportunity

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

If you celebrated a little too much the other night, we hope you found a safe ride home -- perhaps with the local car dealer who was offering just such a New Year's service.

If you were a little over the limit and made it home without incident, thank your lucky stars.

In fact, you should thank your lucky stars if you got arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, because that may have helped you avoid a drunk-driving tragedy that involved 32 percent of all U.S. automobile fatalities in 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available.

That involved nearly 11,000 deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If you did get a DUI citation, you probably already know about the expense involved in bailing yourself out -- $150-$2,500, depending on the jurisdiction.

But that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the costs of the ticket.

You will probably have to have your car towed, which could cost from $100 in small towns to as much as $1,200 in places like Chicago.

Just when you've recovered from that, you may find that your car insurance company has dropped you, or moved you to a higher-risk pool, that could double or even quadruple your insurance costs. And, even if you have no more DUI's, it could be five to eight years before you are moved back to the "preferred" status of drivers receiving the lowest rates for insurance.

All told, that DUI ticket could mean a $10,000 hit on your wallet.

And, that's assuming you don't lose your job because of the DUI ticket.

A new state law should at least make it possible for drivers with DUI convictions to get behind the wheel sooner while ensuring that they don't endanger themselves or others.

Effective Jan. 1, drivers with first- or second-offense DUI charges can have ignition interlock devices installed which will only allow the vehicles to start after they prove they are sober by blowing into a sensor.

Previous Nebraska law allows authorities to take the licenses of motorists charged with drunken driving and give them a 30-day temporary permit, good until they appear at an administrative license revocation hearing.

The new law reduced the temporary license period to 15 days, and allows them to waive the revocation hearing and have the ignition interlock device installed.

The law also allows drivers to travel to a wider array of places, including work, school, treatment programs, probation or medical appointments and community service.

Any attempt to circumvent the device -- such as having someone else use it to start your car -- is a felony.

No, the new law won't reduce costs -- in fact, it can add one more -- but it should help offenders get their lives back on track if they really want to.

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