Cigarettes and Alcohol Interlocks
If you’re a smoker on an alcohol interlock program, this is essential reading for you. Learn how to minimise the risk to your program with a few simple precautions.
DUI Survival Guide
Overwhelmed with all the requirements of your new interlock condition licence and don’t know where to start? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. On this page we’ve got some big tips for avoiding common interlock program mistakes and getting back your full licence.
First let’s give you a broad overview of the process:
Violations
good strategy to assist you in graduating your program and avoiding extra costs is to not log any violations. Each state has different requirements where certain violations will result in needing an unscheduled service or will extend your alcohol interlock program. For more information refer to your user guide.
Avoiding violations is more easy than you might think. Read this section very carefully because it includes common causes of violations. Click on each topic for more information.
Your “I” condition specifies that you may only drive with 0 alcohol in your system. Your alcohol interlock device will allow you to drive with a reading of up to 0.02 to account for natural variations in readings. However even if the device finds you under this threshold, use your judgement to determine whether your BAC is truly 0. If you are pulled over by police and have a BAC reading of over 0 but under 0.02, this will still be considered a drink driving offence.
So long as the engine is running, watch out for random retests. It doesn’t matter if you’re just about to turn the engine off, or if you’ve arrived at your destination, you must take every requested test. Any missed tests will be recorded and may be considered a violation of your program.
For as long as the engine is on, the device will continue to request retests regardless of whether you’re present or not. If you miss a random re-test it’s still a violation, even if you were not present in the car at the time.
This rule is imposed by state bodies to prevent attempts to circumvent the interlock device. If you are having work done on your engine, make sure to call Smart Start in advance and get a receipt and documentation for the work done.
This means food and drink, but also includes other substances such as toothpaste, breath mints and mouth wash.
Always have a bottle of plain, unflavoured water on hand. Before every test take a sip of water to rinse your mouth of any trace of alcohol. This ensures that what is being tested is your BAC, and not the sourdough you ate for breakfast.
If they commit any violations, you’ll be the one responsible.
Even if you used to recover from a night of heavy drinking by the next morning, your tolerance might have changed since then. Understand your limits, and keep in mind that alcohol can stick around in your body longer than you expect.
Every failed attempt will be on your record and affect your program, so if unsure, don’t attempt to drive. You may find a personal breathalyser to be a good investment. Read more about personal breathalysers here or purchase Smart Start’s own in-house personal breathalyser.
You have a service window of 2 weeks: 7 days before your scheduled date and 7 days after. If you miss this window you will be unable to operate your vehicle and may have to pay for remote unlocking.
If a violation occurs that causes a lockout, the device will begin a 7-day countdown before it locks out. Make sure to book yourself into a service centre before the countdown expires.
In the case of an accidental violation keep a record or documentation of what happened. That may come in use when appealing any decisions by your state governing body.
If you follow these tips and rules, you should have no problem completing your program.
Articles
Looking for more information? We’ve answered many of your questions below. Check out the articles below, which we’ve written specifically for people in your shoes.
How long after drinking can an interlock device detect alcohol?
As long as there are detectable amounts of alcohol in your body, a breathalyser test can show up as positive.
The Basics of Mental Health
Everyone can benefit from a little knowledge about mental health. Read on to find out the basics including what good mental health looks like and some steps you can take to achieve that.
You Asked: What are the consequences of failing an interlock test?
Learn about the consequences of failing an interlock test, and what you can do to mitigate these effects.
Do Interlock Devices have Cameras? (You Asked)
Only Victoria and New South Wales require cameras to be installed with your interlock device. When cameras are required, they come as separate attachments that are mounted to the windscreen and communicate with the interlock device.
You Asked: What does it mean to be an accredited interlock installer?
An accredited interlock installer has been approved by a state government to provide alcohol interlock services for state interlock programs. All interlock programs in Australia are run through accredited providers. That means that installation, servicing and removal of your device can only be legally conducted by an approved li
Your Alcohol Interlock and Hand Sanitiser
You should take all the precautions as recommended by the Australian Department of Health regarding hygiene. However, if you have an alcohol interlock installed in your vehicle you should have extra precautions to avoid recording alcohol readings.
You Asked: Can someone else drive my car if it has an interlock?
Yes. Anybody with a valid licence can drive your vehicle even if it has an interlock installed. That said, there are some things you should take into consideration before loaning out your car keys.
You Asked: What happens if I drive without an interlock installed?
If you hold an interlock condition licence and drive without using an alcohol interlock, you risk harsh punishment if caught. Even if you drive with no alcohol in your body you still violating the conditions of your alcohol interlock licence by not using an interlock device.
What is an Alcohol Interlock Violation?
If you’ve been on an interlock program or have been researching one, you’ve probably come across the term ‘interlock violation’. It’s literally when a condition of an interlock program has been violated. There’s many ways this can happen. Read more on what causes it, how to avoid them and what to do next.
What is an Alcohol Restricted Licence?
In Australia an alcohol restricted licence is a condition on a licence which requires the driver to be within a lower BAC limit than the standard 0.05. Read more on the conditions that apply if you have an interlock restricted licence
Alcohol Interlock Device Cost
Figuring out the cost of your Alcohol Interlock Device can be difficult when there are so many types of fees being thrown around. The rough cost for an entire program of 6 months including removal will range from $1,300 – $1,700. In this article we’ll try to break down all the costs so that you know which questions to ask
Ethanol in Everyday Life
Ethanol (another word for alcohol) can be present everywhere, from the bread on your table to the air freshener you use in the living room. Variations of alcohol from items we use daily can cause problems with breath alcohol testing. We’ve made a list of common substances that can affect your alcohol reading…
Never Clock a False Reading Again
Here’s a refresher course of the steps you should take to help you toe the line and get through your interlock program.
So how does an Alcohol Interlock Device actually work?
Have you even wondered what your interlock device actually is? Not just what it does, but how it even works. We could give a long list of all the standards interlock devices are required to meet, but you probably won’t find it as helpful as understanding the nitty gritty of what’s going on every time you take a breath test.