What to Know About Interlock in Colorado

By Hampton & Pigott
Posted on 11-11-2021

If you get a DUI in Colorado, be prepared to live with the consequences. Many times, a DUI conviction in Colorado will land you with a whole suite of driving restrictions, one of which could be an interlock restricted license. What exactly is an interlock restricted license and how will it affect your independence? Allow us to explain.

What Is an Interlock?

An interlock is a breathalyzer system that a court may require you to have installed in your vehicle. Once installed, your vehicle will not even start without a breath sample. The interlock will measure the alcohol content of the breath sample provided to make sure that it is within a certain limit.

Can’t You Just Have Someone Else Breathe Into the Interlock?

Maybe you thought you could have a drink, wait a few hours, and then pass the breath test, only to fail. You feel good to drive, though. You need to get home and you feel like the interlock is just being too sensitive. Surely, it would not be a big deal if your friend tried to unlock the device for you, right? There are a couple problems with trying to cheat the system in this way. For one, modern interlock systems require you to have a camera installed along with the breathalyzer device. It is also important to note that under Colorado law, an attempted circumvention of your interlock system can result in the immediate revoking of your license and suspension of your driving privileges. Such consequences should cause you to think twice before asking a friend to breathe into your interlock system.

An Interlock Will Cost You

All the fees revolving installation and maintaining an interlock system will be yours to bear. The device and installation alone can cost several hundred dollars. Plus, you will need to pay monthly for the monitoring service and for taking it in to be calibrated. These services can take several hours at times.

The state of Colorado takes DUI cases seriously. So, you can guarantee that a DUI conviction will cost you lots of time, money, and it can affect your reputation. When facing such severe penalties, contact Chris Ponce. He can help you get a fair judgement.