What Is an Ignition Interlock Device (IID)?

Do not use hand sanitizer. I had sanitizer in my car and used after cleaning an office. I work for cleaning company used the sanitizer then wigglede my hands to dry them. I smelled the arromma of the sanitizer which has 62 percent alchol and then popped open my cap to drink water as directed. I teseted .032,.030, and then .025. Not sure if it was being in a confined space and smelling it or popping cap for my water. Now I had to pay 50 dollars after i violated 3 times. I had to call smart start. Go down to the hearings officer at registry. That is where I am at now. i am not sure what is going to happen as these people think i was drinking. They never tested hand sanitizer as I asked them. This cost me 50 dollars time and may cost me money on lawyers and god only knows if i will lose my license. I have not drank in two and a half years also. I just wanted to let you people know Do not use hand sanitizer in your car and if you use stay away from a pop cap water mug. You do not want this to happen to you!

I own a ignintion interlock company in WA and you blew as the sanitizer was on your hands and when you inhaled to blow you got some of that alcohol in your lungs and blew high. What a shame, your company knows exactly what happened. Call me with any questions 509-750-1092, Kelly with Blow First

so now you're beating yourself up for using a hand sanitizer! next time they might fine you and probably charge you for using a mouth wash!I think it's about time you and others
in similar situations stood up for that campaign of injustice and irrationality launched by groups motivated by personal and political agendas or derived by hate and revenge and could
care less about solving problems,improving lives or serving justice.those silly authoritarian DUI laws are just another example of the continuous attempts by those groups to take away our freedom and civil rights in the name of "safety"and
to drag us in the direction of becoming china or north korea!
it's time to fight back and keep America free.

I do think it has gone to far with the interlock devices. It is proven effective though. It is MADD that has pushed things like this to accure. Can you blame them I would be pretty MADD if my kid got killed.
They have taken it a little to far though. It is a good thing but has alot to do about money not just kids getting killed. Alot of lawyers own these company's. They are making alot off of drunk drivers which I do not agree. Alchol is like a disease and this thing should be for the benefit of the people and not the benefit of greedy people with money. making money off peoples misery is not cool. This was not cost efficeient going threw what I did and i paid for my mistake. People will move to another state or just drive with out it is the real problem becasue it cost so much to get threw this! It helps but then it creates more problems and if alchol is considered a disease then it should be alot cheaper.

They have bars and restaurants all over the world. They sell alchol and how many people have a designated driver. Not that many. One drink and you are drunk. If you go out to dinner and have 2 glasses of wine you are a drunk driver. The point I am trying to make is everyone has done it. Unless you do not drink at all. They should be going after the buisnesses and restaurants but they would never do that because of money.

The world revolves around trying to make and get money. This is just another opportunity to do that. There are pro's and con's to everything. All I have to say is just hope it does not happen to you. Did you know that law that just passed was because of Melony that died by a drunk driver. Her father got caught drunk driving a week after the incident. IRONIC isn't it. Someone i know that knows a politician got out of a drunk driving in just one call. When you have money and know people anything is possible. The rest of us are stuck in losing are licenses and making these company's rich with our own stupity!

One thing I do not appreciate is being called a lier. The breathelizer company did not belive me. Man I went threw to much do get my license back to do something stupid and drink and blow into that thing. They did not believe me. I asked them if they tested the hand sanitizer they said no. Then he of course the owner said that it was approved by so state org. Shoot they approve pills all the time and they take them off the market because they kill people. Well going way off course here. I was not drinking and do not like being called a lier. I felt like a guy inprisoned for no reason. I felt low. That is not acceptable. That is why the guy above was freshing to here. he owns his own company and kept his info just incase I have issues with this nonsense.

I agree. There is no longer a human element in the law. It's all about mandates and codesd. They've taken a social norm and turn it int public enemy number one.

Hey there,
I live in Ma.and have a SmartStartIID in my vehicle...I have had SO many issues with this company and now I've a hearing scheduled for 12/16/08, in Boston, approx. 2 1/2 hrs from where I am in western Ma. I've only had this in my car since 7/1/08 and have had SO many instances where the unit wasn't acting properly, aborting this, aborting that, it's only been 5 months and it feels like a lifetime of hassle. Absolutely no alcohol, nor tampering, and flat out Smart Start has lied to me about how they'd send Boston IID Division a clear and concise statement that "SKIP WAS DUE TO SYSTEM PROBLEM" - and I've documentation for all my encounters with this vendor and their device - but, why in god's name should I have to go through all of this?? I'm "red-flagged" @ the RMV due to what SMartStart stated I had 2 valid missed re-tests in Oct. 08. On 10/08/08 in the parking lot of an AA meeting, where simultaneously turning the ignition off a re-test came on and of course since the engine was turned off it was an immediate missed re-test. Called and reported incident to SmartStart-this exact situation repeated itself TWO nights later, called them AGAIN, of course now I've an InterlockViolation, service @ their 800# now tells me to go to my installer-have it switched from mode 0(key) to mode 1(voltage)...did this the next a.m.-now RMV is doubting me, SmartStart first started out being "helpful"...naive me, of course they won't admit their state-of-the-art device has caused me nothing but hassles...they could lose their standings/contract with being a vendor. My DUI was found in the courts as a 24-D, 1st offense was 1990, was sober for 18 years...now I have to travel from western Ma. to Boston for my hearing, tried Spfld, Ma-no, it has to be done in Boston. AND, they'll suspend my license/right to operate should I not represent myself well(hate speaking in front of people,nevermind this,even though I've info. I've logged w/each problem)...let's see...12/26/08...10 YEARS FOR BEING SOBER AND DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS??? Has ANYONE in Ma. had SmartStart as their vendor? I feel like Erin Brokavitch(?sp)...I shouldn't have to fight so hard for being right...DON'T CHOOSE SMART START AS YOUR VENDOR!!
HELP???? God I pray there is someone out there who'll reply to me!
Thanks so much, and I'm trying like heck to have faith.....Nance

I wish I have something positive to say to help reduce your anxiety and frustration but I think it's more useful to be completely aware of the cold reality of the situation than going to your hearing with a false sense of confidence.away from all the technicalities particular to your case,the reality is,DUI laws and procedures weren't exactly designed
to have the offenders'best interest or convenience in mind nor were they designed to serve justice or improve lives!they're simply meant to make money for the state,attorneys, vendors,labs and alcohol programs"justifiably"at the expense of those"criminals"who had a beer and drove!the attitude towards DUI offenders is they're criminals who have no much credibility and this is in large thanks to MADD!as for the interlock vendor,you're completely right!there's no way in hell the crooks are going to help you out by saying"our product is a fraud"and lose their fat contract!point is,do NOT expect"friends"in that hearing whether you've been doing the right thing for the last 10 20 or 30 years or not because honestly they could care less!if you have the financial means go get a lawyer!be more aggressive when communicating with the interlock people and let them know you're willing to take things to the"next level"if they don't fix the problem. if you can't afford a lawyer,try to get AS MUCH free consultations as possible just to get a good idea about what to expect and how to prepare for it.it's a good thing you documented everything,so if you have to represent yourself you have a solid case.just be calm and collected and remember that you're on the RIGHT.good luck

I've had my IID unit for about 2 months now. This is my first DUI offense, and I've never had any other alcohol related issues. I don’t even drink much, about once a month maybe. My unit is extremely intermittent; it will work on the 1st or 2nd try sometimes, and will take 10-15 tries others. There have been 2 times over the last 2 months where the unit just won't work; it just keeps aborting. I'm not opposed to the program, but maybe we could get units that actually work. They do exist. I figure the $120/month should cover a more stable unit. If these programs are about making our roads safer, why not extend similar punishments to all potentially fatal driving behaviors such as talking on the phone while driving. Cell phone related deaths are now up to about 2800/year in this country. But that potentially fatal driving behavior is completely legal, and even encouraged. The reason DUI type penalties are not applied to other fatal driving behaviors is due to pandering to a vocal minority group; MADD. If we want safe roads, we have a loooooong way to go. The only way to make our roads safer is for the public to get honest about potentially fatal driving behaviors. In the meantime, we need IID units that actually work.

smart start left me standed @ a gas island 20 miles from the calibration station. The little l e d lights never came on when I tried to start the car. I called the company and they said 2 take it 2 the midas where I take it every month and 2 have him give me a new device. I ended up having 2 spend 40 dollars for a cab 2 take me 2 the midas. What I find particulaly strange is this is the second instance in which smart start left me stranded and they just tell you 2 get a new device but why dont I ever get any sort of documentation from them? This whole system is nothing but a tremendous double standard. And we are forced 2 pay for this !

It is an inconveniance having this goofy interlock. I've had mine for 5 months now. The 1st two months were HELL. It turned out that I had a defective unit. I got the same as everyone else ABORT, ABORT, ABORT, no starting the vehicle, horn going off towing a 32' fifth wheel. I agree it is dangerous. Here is a couple of things that I changed in order to make my life a little easier in dealing with the interlock.
1. Each time the vehicle is shut off, wrap the interlock in a towel. This keeps it from getting to cold in the cold months and too hot in the summer months. ABORT now only happens right after the monthly service is done. Dont know why....it's weird
2. Find your own method of blowing into the interlock and stick with it. Took me awhile to figure this out. Interlock company does not train properly.
3. Don't get frustrated--------you will never get it started...

New Mexico now has a law that requires you to put the interlock in a vehicle for 6 months prior to giving you your license back. Regardless if you own a vehicle or not. No vehicle - No license....Yikes One more month to gooooooooooooooo

Good luck to you all......ABORT is not a violation neither is a missed re-test if the ignition is off it shows up on your monthy report

Wow I'm in the same exact boat. Sober for 12 years and got the start smart in my truck.Just hit my 2 yr anniversary for the IID and had alot of isssues with the device. Mainly in the colder seasons. I would blow and pass then start driving, but the device would be asking me to blow right after starting the vehicle, without beeping or giving me a timer like usual. I would look down at it from time to time to watch for a rolling restart to see I was already violated for missing it. SMART START tech support told me that i had a bad battery. (yeah right) was a brand new honda ridgeline. Violated me once for leaving the ignition in the on position while i was washing the car even though it wasn't running. I had the ignition on to roll up and down windows as i walked around the vehicle to wash all the windows.I would like to see those jerks at the registry try and use these devices for one month without getting a violation. Hope everything works out for you. ---Don

I am a spouse of this "SAFE PRODUCT ".I cant even begin to express the GRIEF and frustrations this piece of shit has given ME when I try to use his truck.ABORT WONT RESPOND ABORT ABORT ABORT,then I get a false point when I cant even blow into that goddam thing and get it to respond.It happened more in the wintertime. I have heard of documentations of this product being defective but cannot seem to find it anywhere.I know theres more people out there suffering from the same crap,this cannot be an isolated case. Im curious if there is a class action lawsuit against smart start interlock anywhere because it has caused countless times of me almost getting into a car accident than any other distraction I have ever encountered out in the road.

Hi, Nance-- my dad has the machine on his car and just like you it is not very reliable... my father is 70+ years old and had his first offense 30+ years ago... and it has been awful... I am working with him to document the issues but no one want to listen or help... I always get "this is the law" and we can't help you... Did you get your issued resolved in any way???

Hello. I've had the same problem with my Smart Start Interlock device. Within about 3 seconds after shutting my car off, sometimes it will ask me for a retest and will automatically give me a violation. I will blow anyway so that the calibration shows that I had a successful PASS, seconds after my "refusal" to retest. I have this documented and tried to send this to the DMV person and she told me that it was my fault and still made me keep it on an additional month. The Smart Start is nothing but a moneymaking scheme and I'm thinking about contacting my attourney. Any thoughts?

I reside in California and I cannot find the rules and regulations guide for two car owners. I am on the registration an my husband also, however I would like to know why my civil rights need to be violate? I am not the one who the interlock is issued to.

I live in Austin TX. I am still waiting to go to court but as a condition of my bond I have to have an IID installed on my vehicle. I had a Dreager Saftey IID installed on my truck for over a year without a single problem. I had one violation in the morning due to mouthwash. I usually give it 20-30 minutes before starting and I'm fine but I was running late one day and violated. I now require a camera enabled unit. Guess what? Smart Start is the only vendor in the nation that carries such a device. Tell me theree isn't some financial and political backscratching going on here. Anyhow, I had my unit installed on Aug 7. I left that evening to the coast with my family for a little weekend beach fun. The next morning after I got everybody loaded into the car, the device quit working. No lights, nothing. Within 24hrs of having the unit installed it failed. Their customer service representative, Miguel, advised me I would have to have the vehicle towed (at my expense) to the nearest service center, which was 45miles away. (Corpus Christi) I called the service center and they were able to talk me through bypassing the system to avoid having to pay a $250 tow fee. The tech, (Luis) advised me to come in to have them look at it. When I arrived about an hour later I found that he had gone to a car show and would not be back until Monday. Another gentleman at the shop (I neglected to get his name) was able to put in a jumper wire to keep the vehicle operating normally until I could bring the unit back in for service in the Austin shop.

When I took the unit back in to be repaired I had to wait for almost 5 hrs because the installer had to put in several units until he found one that "worked".

Within 48hrs the camera mount had fallen down onto my dash. Thus forcing me to hold the camera while taking a breath test. This means I have to pull over every time I have to take a test. Ordinarily this would not be a problem but in my case it is. This is because the device is asking for a breath test every 2-3 minutes. I have to pull over 2-3 times going to and from work because the device is asking for so many samples. I live 7 miles from my job and it takes me at least 30 minutes each way now.

This afternoon I got in my vehicle and the unit was displaying the error message "Recall Cam Post" and would not let me start the vehicle. I called the technical support line and was put through to the "on-call service technician". He advised me to reset the unit by disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery for 30 seconds. I tried that but still got the same error. I called back to see if he could come out but he was not located in TX. There is no on-call service techian. He told me that I would have to wait until 9:30am on Monday before I could contact my local service center. This is extremely poor service coming from "the nation’s premier provider of ignition interlock services and technology."

The unit I had installed from Draeger Saftey never once had a single issue in over a year of service. I've had Smart Start for less than 3 weeks and this is the third time I'm having to have service on my vehicle. This is not only a hinderance on my personal travel schedule but I have to take time off of work to have this service performed.

The unit has also given me 3 false violations when there is no presence of alcohol ANYWHERE in the car..and no I wasn't drinking the night before. Their equipment is just junk. I advise people to go with ANYONE but Smart Start.

My wife has had the exact same issues on my vehicle. Recall Cam Post is one of many! This thing is a piece of crap. I also wonder why have to have this thing on a vehilcle I own, but she drives.

The latest malfunction may have cause her a probation revocation. She has not drank at all since her initial traffic stop that has all but ruined our lives!..The latest failure occured at 10:30 am on Augusat 5th and she was heading to the doctors office with the kids!She tried to start the car twice and it wouldn't start and showed a fail. So she called her doctor and cancelled her appointment. She tried to start the car later in the afternoon and it started. She was definately not drinking!

I'm sure this thing is a money grab and these things are programmed to fail and continue to cost us all money!

I've had it, and am considering taking her off the insurance and not having her drive until the 1 year requirement is over. I'm getting this piece of shit out of my Hummer!

i would like to know if there are descent lawers out there that would fight for us and the people dealing with DEFECTIVE smart start and the REGISTRIES knowing of this.im not even an individual with any dui's and have suffered physically and mentally.with all the tests they have for everything nowadays they CANNOT say they have no knowlege of smart start reacting to MOUTHWASH and HAND SANITIZER!!! that would be BULLSHIT they know it and they keep taking advantage.i have to use the vehicle too and i dont drink and oddly enough....smart start claims i do.ATTENTION SMARTSTART AND THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS...I DONT DRINK LISTERINE OR EAT HAND SANITIZER

I have had the interlock since february. I have had three different issues with this stupid machine. I used to hear people talk about how they had gotten false positives when they hadn't touched a drink and was like RIIIGHT. But now I completely believe. The first was when I was at a third interview for a job. I came out after waiting an hour to be seen and blew into the machine. It failed me..WHAT? Then I immediately blew again and it passed. However the MVA still considers this a fail, despite there is no way I could have metabolized a .30 reading in a matter of seconds had I truly had a drink. Mind you I'm pregnant during these episodes as well. The next one was they told me I had a rolling retest disconnect which A. is not true because I never unplug my handset period..even though you can, I always leave it in the car. B. on my report it said that they had put in the year 2008 for the time periods not 2009. The last one was last month, I had worked all day at my job, picked my daughter up and was in the grocery store parking lot when it asked for the rolling retest. I blew and it failed me! Later I would come to find out that it read a .38 and I had already started the car and had nothing to eat or drink in the interim. Now mind you I do have asthma and all my inhalers contain alcohol..but I was told as long as I rinse my mouth after using them it would be fine. I'm not even sure if that's what set it off or not..I doubt it..I think it was just a malfunction because supposedly if you have a rolling retest disconnect your horn goes off and same thing if you refuse or fail the rolling retest. In both situations I just immediately blew again and passed and no horn dispite my supposed "fail". I hate this thing and as I said am pregnant and don't need the stress of wondering whether the stupid thing will fail me for absolutely no reason. I choose not to drive if I can help it at all because it gives me so much agida driving it. Luckily the car is in my mom's name and I am not working right now due to pregnancy complications. I am going to tell them she needs her car back and just take the 90 day suspension. It's THAT bad.

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We all need to organize. I have had nothing but problems with my Smart start device since I got it. I'm going to see if I can complain to the Better Business Bureau, the MA attorney general, and try the ACLU. All of you should call the ACLU because it does not look like there are any lawyers fighting this thing, although it has been proven in MA to be innaccurate (Why the judge did not issue a ruling forbidding the practice I do not know). Contact somebody, don't just complain. We all need to do it!

REPLY TO J.PARENT- I would appreciate you letting me know if you make any head way with anyone.I have never been treated so poorly in my life,as if I'm the lowest thing on earth. This interlock has been an absolute nightmare.No one will take resposiblitie for the machine.That w ould be like renting a wheel chair,the wheel falling off,calling the dealership to have them tell you it has to be your fault.I am so pissed.anyone with any encourgement or any information on anyone helping the consumer of this product PLEASE let us know!!!!

Here is the link to file a complaint with the Mass. Attorney General: https://www.eform.ago.state.ma.us/ago_eforms/forms/piac_ecomplaint
The response sent to me was basically said that they cannot address every complaint they get, but they do take notice of patterns of behavior so EVERYONE who has an issue must fill out a complaint! It takes about ten minutes to complete. I have created a log of events that have happened to me (and even called the Police, who do keep a record) in case I ever have to go to the registry and defend myself. It helps if you have a witness. Please do your part.

I hate my smart start!!!! I want to break that F*&king thing!!! One month and already 4 violations! I'm not drinking or anything! Same problem...gettting violations when I turn off the vehicle. Something to do with my battery and fuel line also, cuts the engine a bit and smart start restarts and who knows what it'll say next! Some days it just goes crazy and and asks me to blow, so I'll blow into the damn thing, then it dosen't even register...nothing. I have to turn the vehicle off and then on for it to respond to anything. Auugghhh! Who Do I kill for this torture?! BTW it's my sister's fault and the family is taking the hit for this! I got to get to work also! grrrrrr!