Missouri DWI law takes effect July 1

By Alex Fees

KSDK -- A new law in Missouri will target repeat drunk drivers. Beginning July 1, people convicted of at least two drunken driving offenses, or anyone convicted of vehicular manslaughter involving alcohol, will have to get a breath-analyzing ignition interlock device installed on their vehicle.

The device will prevent the car from starting unless the breath test is alcohol-free. It is required in order to get a driver's license re-instated.

Gabrielle Millenbruck is vice-president of Interlock of St. Louis, a business that has four locations around the St. Louis area. Interlock trains ignition interlock installers, and administers tests for clients referred by the state of Missouri.

Millenbruck says the devices have proven successful in national tests.

"An ignition interlock is proven to reduce repeat offenders by 60%while the interlock is installed," Millenbruck says. "Nationally, you're looking at about a 2% success rate in any other program of drunken driving reduction."

Illinois lawmakers passed a similar law which took effect in January. That law, however, required the ignition interlock devices on first offense. St. Clair County State's Attorney Bob Haida says it is too early to know the long-term effects of that legislation. Haida added that the legislation has not resulted in a backlog in courts.

In addition to training other installers and acting as an administrator for state officials, Millenbruck says Interlock of St. Louis has about 400 clients who were convicted on drunken driving offenses.

"That client will make a monthly, 15-minute appointment, we will plug into their device, download all the data. It can record up to 30,000 events in the log," Millenbruck says. "It will tell us every time they start their car, every breath alcohol reading they have, every activity that they have that takes place in that vehicle. And then we'll calibrate the sensor and schedule the next appointment in the device."

Millenbruck says after an initial test to start the car, the device will ask the driver for a breath test every ten minutes. If they do not comply, the car's horn will start blaring; notifying other motorists the car contains a driver who is out of compliance.

A list of certified ignition interlock installers is available at the Missouri Department of Revenue website.