If you have two or more DWIs on your driving record and your driving privileges are currently suspended or revoked, getting reinstated in Missouri just got tougher and more expensive. According to the new law that went into effect July 1, 2009, Missouri drivers who have been convicted of two or more alcohol related offenses must now install an interlock ignition device their vehicle as a condition of having their driver license reinstated. An interlocking ignition device is a machine that is installed on the dashboard of a car that can detect alcohol on the driver’s breath and if alcohol is present, will prevent the vehicle from operating. This will be very costly to the driver because the driver must pay a private company to install this device and maintain the device for a monthly fee for six months. Also, if you own multiple vehicles, you must install a device on each vehicle, not just the vehicle you actually drive. This law can also be read to mean that this device is required to be installed on all vehicles within the driver’s control, regardless if the driver owns a vehicle, under the assumption that if a driver has access to a vehicle that does not have a device, the driver would simply use that vehicle if he had been drinking. It is too early to tell how practical this law will prove to be, but check back here often for any new developments. To read all of the details, please read Missouri Statute 302.304 paragraph 17.
For more information, please contact an attorney directly at (314) 894-7900.
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