Breathalyzers In Cars - California Healthline

On Jan. 1, California joined the majority of states that have laws requiring drivers with drunken-driving convictions to install ignition interlock devices in their vehicles to limit road deaths. The devices are breathalyzers mounted on the steering wheel of a vehicle that prevent it from starting if the driver’s blood-alcohol reading is above a predetermined level.

In California, the breathalyzers in cars will be mandatory only for repeat offenders. Five other states — Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Montana and Ohio — have similar laws. Thirty-two states and D.C. require the devices even for first-time offenders.

For more, read Ana B. Ibarra’s coverage.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

<h1>Breathalyzers In Cars</h1>
<div>		<time class="posted-on" datetime="2019-01-09T02:00:50-08:00">
			January 9, 2019		</time>
		</div>
<p>On Jan. 1, California joined the majority of states that have laws requiring drivers with drunken-driving convictions to install ignition interlock devices in their vehicles to limit road deaths. The devices are breathalyzers mounted on the steering wheel of a vehicle that prevent it from starting if the driver’s blood-alcohol reading is above a predetermined level.</p><p>In California, the breathalyzers in cars will be mandatory only for repeat offenders. Five other states — Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Montana and Ohio — have similar laws. Thirty-two states and D.C. require the devices even for first-time offenders.</p><p>For more, read <a href="https://californiahealthline.org/news/no-go-on-drunken-driving-states-deploy-breathalyzers-in-cars-to-limit-road-deaths/">Ana B. Ibarra’s coverage</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/breathalyzers-in-cars/?share=facebook">				Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)				Facebook			</a></li><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/breathalyzers-in-cars/?share=linkedin">				Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)				LinkedIn			</a></li><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/breathalyzers-in-cars/?share=x">				Click to share on X (Opens in new window)				X			</a></li><li><a href="mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Breathalyzers%20In%20Cars&body=https%3A%2F%2Fcaliforniahealthline.org%2FMzAxMzY5&share=email">				Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)				Email			</a></li><li><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/multimedia/breathalyzers-in-cars/#print?share=print">				Click to print (Opens in new window)				Print			</a></li></ul><em><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News</a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about <a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a>.</em><p><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/morning-briefing/">Subscribe</a> to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing.</p>

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