Breath alcohol ignition interlock devices: controlling the recidivist.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Traffic Safety
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Alcohol-impaired driving remains a significant public safety concern.
• Restricted driving permits are issued to individuals with revoked licenses due to alcohol-related offenses.
• Breath alcohol ignition interlock devices (BAIIDs) are used to prevent impaired driving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare recidivism rates of drivers with and without BAIIDs after license revocation for alcohol-impaired driving.
• To assess the long-term effectiveness of BAIIDs in reducing driving under the influence (DUI) arrests.
• To evaluate the accessibility and impact of voluntary BAIID programs.

Main Methods:

• Comparative study of two groups of Illinois drivers with revoked licenses and multiple prior driving under the influence (DUI) offenses.
• One group was mandated to install BAIIDs; the other served as a control.
• Recidivism rates were tracked for DUI arrests and other driving offenses.

Main Results:

• Drivers with BAIIDs were five times less likely to be arrested for DUI during the installation period.
• DUI arrest rates returned to baseline levels shortly after BAIID removal.
• Only 16% of eligible drivers participated in the voluntary Illinois BAIID program.
• Individuals removed from the program and returned to revoked status had high rates of crashes or DUI arrests.

Conclusions:

• BAIIDs are effective in preventing impaired driving while installed.
• Limited program uptake and short installation durations hinder widespread effectiveness.
• Extended BAIID installation is recommended until sustained sobriety is demonstrated.
• BAIIDs should offer a more compelling alternative than continued revoked status.