According to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Organization ( MADD), there is over 2 billion trips taken by Americans each year. Out of those trips, about one in every 2 thousand is a trip allegedly being driven by a person under the influence of alcohol.
This may seem like a proportionally small number, .0005% to be exact, yet one of out every three car accidents that occur, is due to a drunk driver. That is 1/3rd of all car accidents. So in other words, mathematically speaking, a miniscule about of poor behavior yields in 1/3 of all major car accidents and deaths resulting from them.
Almost once every hour, someone in the United States is likely to be killed or seriously injured in a drunken driving accident.
The supporters of MADD argue that taking DWI offender’s licenses away is not enough. MADD is requesting that due to these proportions, every single drunk driver that has been convicted, whether they have injured anyone in an accident or not, should be required to have an ignition interlock system placed in their vehicle.
However, this seems to be a little rash. As stated, only 1/3rd of accidents are due to drunk driving. And in those accidents, people maybe injured, but many times, it is the driver himself who takes the brunt of the impact from the accident.
So what is the “Implied Consent” law in North Carolina and how does that work with Ignition Interlock?
In North Carolina, you have already given your “consent” to be tested merely by driving on the road. Accordingly, it is a separate offense in itself to wilfully refuse to participate in a requested breathalyzer test when a police officer has probable cause to believe that the person is guilty of DWI. Of course, this “implied consent” civil violation is less serious than a DWI criminal conviction. However, the state can elect to charge a person who wilfully refuses a breathalyzer test with DWI as well. If they find your BAC level is above a .015, then an ignition interlock will be placed in your vehicle, at your expense.
Everyone makes mistakes. It is a crime to drink and drive when your BAC level is over the legal limit of .08. But having your license suspended sometimes is enough. Sometimes, a drunk driver is not even involved in a car accident. If that is the case, and they were simply pulled over for suspicious driving, and thereafter receive a DWI, should they be forced to pay to have an ignition interlock system put in their vehicle?
The laws of North Carolina change every day. It is difficult to keep up with how quickly the system changes the laws. Sometimes you may be committing a crime that you had no idea even was one.
