Ignition interlock devices are portable breath-testing devices that you may be required to have installed in your vehicle after a Los Angeles DUI arrest. An ignition interlock device will prevent your car from starting if you don't supply a breath sample that falls below a certain preset blood alcohol content (BAC) - usually zero.

California courts often order you to install an ignition interlock device if you've been arrested for drunk driving more than once. A skilled Los Angeles DUI attorney from The Kavinoky Law Firm can review your drunk driving charge to determine whether you're likely to be required to install an ignition interlock device.

Ignition interlock devices are becoming increasingly common in Los Angeles DUI cases. Before the passage of a new law, ignition interlock devices weren't mandatory in multiple-offense Los Angeles DUI cases, but new California legislation that took effect September 20, 2005 mean that if you're convicted of a second or subsequent drunk driving charge within 10 years of a first offense, you must have the device installed in your vehicle.

Although ignition interlock devices are mandatory in multiple California DUI cases, the court can order you to install one even after a first-offense Los Angeles DUI arrest. The judge is more likely to order an ignition interlock device if you refused to take a chemical test to determine blood alcohol content (BAC) after your Los Angeles DUI arrest, or if your BAC was .15 percent or greater. Some judges order ignition interlock devices in all Los Angeles DUI cases, even first offenses, if the driver's BAC was .10 percent or greater.

If you were arrested for Los Angeles DUI while driving with a suspended driver's license, you will also be required to install an ignition interlock device installed if your driver's license suspension stemmed from a drunk driving conviction.

Ignition interlock devices operate under a simple principle - your will not start if your breath test shows a certain BAC. Once your car is running, you'll be required to perform "rolling re-tests" every 15 minutes to one hour. If you don't perform the rolling retest when prompted to do so, the ignition interlock will record a violation. California law prohibits anyone from disabling an ignition interlock or blowing into the collection tube to start the car for another driver.

Smart Start of California is part of the Texas-based national ignition interlock pioneer Smart Start and is California's leading provider of ignition interlock devices. If you need to install an ignition interlock device after a Los Angeles DUI conviction, a suspended driver's license, or for any other reason, contact Smart Start of California today for prompt and reliable service. To find out more about ignition interlock devices or to schedule an appointment, please contact Smart Start headquarters today toll-free at (800) 880-3394.