The ignition interlock device is causing drivers to be distracted

When a person is convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol in the state of New York, he or she may be ordered to install an ignition interlock device on his or her vehicle. This device has to remain in his or her car until the courts say it can be removed. While the purpose of these machines is good — they help keep drunk drivers off the road, according to a recently published article, they are not without their problems. It is believed that these devices are causing drivers who use them to be distracted, which causes them to collide with other vehicles, pedestrians or objects.

Ignition interlock devices are said to reduce repeat drunk driving offenses by 70%. A study out of the University of Pennsylvania claims that states that require the installation of these devices see 15% fewer DUI accident-related fatalities compared to states that do not require them. These devices definitely serve a valuable purpose.

What many people may not know about IIDs is that drivers who are required to use them do not only have to use them to start up their vehicles. The machines will typically require testing every so often after the car has been started. This is something called rolling retests. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encourages drivers to pull over when it is time to retest, too many drivers are not following this recommendation. Numerous accidents have happened due to drivers looking at their IIDs during retesting rather than looking at the road.

Anyone who has been struck by a driver taking part in a rolling retest may be entitled to seek compensation for his or her losses. At the end of the day, in New York, distracted driving is distracted driving. It doesn’t matter why a person takes his or her eyes off the road; if he or she causes an accident, he or she may be held responsible for any victims’ losses. With the assistance of legal counsel, victims may achieve maximum relief.