If you must equip your vehicle with an ignition interlock system because you have been convicted of a Los Angeles County DUI / DWI, if you need to comply with rules of the California DMV or for any other reasons, please contact us at Smart Start of California or call us right away: 1.800.880.3394. You can find additional information below.

Ignition interlock systems are being used more and more often in Los Angeles County drunk driving cases to give accused drivers the ability to continue driving their cars and possibly also help prevent accused drivers from receiving potential jail sentences or being exposed to other legal violations. Ignition interlock devices measure the breath alcohol of accused drivers; when they blow into the device and are alcohol-free, the system allows the car to be started. These devices are similar in size to a cellular telephone and are positioned on the car's steering column. So that these systems can continue to benefit accused drivers, Smart Start of California has incorporated safeguards into their devices.

It is virtually impossible for someone to have or use a car equipped with a Smart Start ignition interlock system if they have not been properly trained on how to exhale into the ignition interlock collection tube. Prior to having an ignition interlock device installed in their cars, Los Angeles County drivers need to participate in special training offered by Smart Start of California. These devices require a specific breath pattern in order to activate the system; just generally exhaling into the device is not enough.

Also, an accused driver must continue to blow into the device even after the car has been started. Rolling retests take place at random times during the use of the car to measure breath alcohol (usually from between 15 minutes to one hour after the system has been initially activated). If the rolling retest is not successfully completed, or not taken at all, the computer on the Smart Start of California ignition interlock device will record these deficiencies, and the accused driver could face serious legal or personal consequences.

Please observe that it is a crime in Los Angeles County to bypass the ignition interlock system by having another person blow into the device, which could result in a misdemeanor conviction or other legal violation for the accused driver.

Please call 1.800.880.3394, toll-free, to get information about the benefits of a Smart Start ignition interlock device in a Los Angeles County driving under the influence case and/or to learn about the technology used in Smart Start of California ignition interlock systems. Your call will be answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (Note: This information does not apply to motorcycles under current California ignition interlock laws, as these devices may not be installed on motorcycles for safety considerations.)