As of July 9, 2018, Alabama’s new DUI law has officially gone into effect statewide. The new law ensures that even first-time DUI offenders will have to install an ignition interlock device on their vehicle if they wish to continue driving.
Alcohol interlocks are in-vehicle breath-testing units that require a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) below a certain level, typically somewhere between 0.02 and 0.04 percent, before the vehicle can be started.
In Alabama, for a first time DUI conviction within 10 years, a person’s license will be suspended for 90 days unless they elect to install the interlock.
However, even on a first time conviction, if the person refused the test or if a child under the age of 14 years was a passenger or if someone else was injured, or if the offender had a 0.15% BAC then the license of the person convicted will be suspended for a period of 90 days and the ignition interlock device will be installed for one year from after reinstatement of the license.
On a second conviction within 10 years, there is a mandatory license suspension for 1 year and 2 years of ignition interlock. The license suspension can be stayed after 45 days if the ignition interlock is installed and evidenced to the court.
On a third conviction within 10 years, there is a mandatory license suspension for 3 years and 3 years of ignition interlock. The license suspension can be stayed after 60 days if the ignition interlock is installed and evidenced to the court.
On fourth conviction within 10 years, there is a mandatory license suspension for 5 years and 4 years of ignition interlock. The license suspension can be stayed after 1 year if the ignition interlock is installed and evidenced to the court.
Although the cost will vary according to state, MADD estimates it costs approximately $70 to $150 to install and around $60 to $80 per month for device monitoring and calibration.
In addition to the costs of installation of the interlock device, any person ordered by the court to have an ignition interlock device installed and any person who elects to have the ignition interlock device installed on a designated vehicle for the purpose of reducing a period of suspension or revocation of his or her driver’s license, shall pay to the court two hundred dollars ($200).
