If you or a loved one has to get an ignition interlock device (IID) installed in your vehicle, you have a lot of questions. A common question we get is “do interlock devices have GPS?” The answer to your specific IID depends on where you live and your specific situation. ALCOLOCK and other interlock vendors make several different models of ignition interlock devices. Some have GPS capability, and some don’t.
All 50 states have ignition interlock laws, but they differ in some of the model requirements. All interlock devices installed in the United States must meet or exceed the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) model specifications for ignition interlock devices. But those specifications mainly have to do with the precision, accuracy, and reporting capabilities of the devices.
It’s up to each state as to whether they require their interlock devices to have GPS capabilities, be camera-equipped, have real-time reporting capability, or have all of these additional capabilities above and beyond what a base model ignition interlock device has. And even if your state requires GPS functionality for some people, they may not require it for you. It may depend on your specific circumstances, and whether the courts or the DMV requires you to have an ignition interlock device installed.
Why Your Ignition Interlock Device Might Have GPS
States that require your ignition interlock device to have GPS capabilities do so because they want to keep track of where you are. This may be because you have additional driving restrictions that forbid you from driving at certain hours, or limit you to driving to and from work and school, for instance.
Many states that require interlock devices have GPS capabilities that also require them to have real-time reporting capabilities. This means instead of your monitoring agency getting a monthly report of your startup and rolling retest results, they know within seconds that you have passed your test — or failed it. Real-time reporting coupled with GPS allows your monitoring agency to alert the authorities if they suspect you are attempting to drink and drive, or if you are violating other restricted driving program rules.
How You Know If Your Interlock Device Has GPS
You will know from the beginning if your interlock device has GPS, because it will be spelled out in your restricted driving program paperwork. Other states have learned from the state of Minnesota. For a time, the state required all interlock devices to use GPS to track drivers’ locations, without informing the drivers they were doing so, and without consent. As a result, some of those drivers filed a class-action lawsuit.
The courts eventually dismissed the case, but Minnesota did change its law as a result.
At this time, several states require GPS on some or all of the ignition interlock devices installed in their state. Arizona, New York, Missouri, and several other states require GPS in some or all of their interlock programs.
If you need to have an ignition interlock device with GPS compatibility installed, ALCOLOCK can help. The ALCOLOCK LR is approved for judicially mandated programs, and is GPS and WiFi-compatible.
You can find out more about your state’s specific requirements for ignition interlock devices both on your program paperwork and on the DMV/DOT website. If you have any specific questions, you can contact your DUI lawyer, probation officer, or the DMV.
Schedule Your Ignition Interlock Device Installation
If you need to get an ignition interlock device installed, and we’re on your state’s list of approved vendors, ALCOLOCK is ready to help. We have ignition interlock device installation and service centers all across the country. Call the service location most convenient for you to set up your IID installation. You can also call ALCOLOCK directly at (866) 700-9300. We offer fast installation and affordable pricing for the duration of your interlock restricted driving program.
When scheduling your appointment, remember that you will need to have someone drive you to your installation appointment. You can drive only after the device is installed. You should plan on your installation appointment lasting about an hour. That time includes the technician performing the physical installation of the IID in your vehicle and calibrating it to you and anyone else who will be driving the vehicle. Your technician will also show you how to use it, and explain what all of the sounds, lights, and screen messages mean. Finally, before you get behind the wheel, you will schedule your first service visit. Those take about 20 minutes. Depending on your state and your program, those maybe every 30 days, or every 60 days.