Georgia has some tough drunk driving laws. If you violate them, you may have to live with some equally tough consequences, such as potentially losing your driving privileges. At some point, though, you may be able to drive again, provided you install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.
According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, you can choose from 14 different ignition interlock devices. Regardless of the device you have, you must provide an alcohol-free breath sample before your vehicle will start. You also may have to continue to breathe into the testing device periodically until you reach your destination.
What is tampering with a device?
If you have alcohol in your system, it may be tempting to try to trick or disable your interlock device. Doing either, however, has the potential to be a serious mistake. Indeed, state law specifically prevents you from doing any of the following:
- Having someone else breathe into your ignition interlock device
- Blowing into someone else’s ignition interlock device
- Disabling, damaging or otherwise circumventing the functionality of your ignition interlock device
Why can tampering with your device get you into trouble?
Obviously, the state has an interest in ensuring you comply with the requirements of the ignition interlock program. If you tamper with the device, you can expect it to create a record of your activities. Then, the device is likely to forward the record to officials who can and probably will punish you.
If you are driving with an ignition interlock device, you undoubtedly want to be able to remove it as soon as possible. Ultimately, simply by following the rules, you reduce your chances of having to deal with even more legal headaches.
