New Washington State Laws and Procedures for 2012

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Kelly Jeffries

Happy Holidays to all of our INI Clients!

Please Drive Safely!

As 2011 comes to a close, we want to wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday season!  As 2012 is fast approaching, we wanted to take this opportunity to alert you to some major Washington state law and procedure changes.  Some of these changes occurred in 2011, but all of the following items are effective no later than January 1, 2012.  Please contact our office by phone (877-867-9888) or email (information@interlocknw.com) with any additional questions you may have.

  • Handhelds must stay plugged in – you may no longer remove your Intoxalock® to take inside at night, etc.  If the unit is unplugged, it is considered tampering and must be reported to the state authorities.  The only time the Intoxalock® may be unplugged is for your recalibration, or specific authorization from an INI service rep.  If your handheld is removed for more than 15 minutes, your unit will go into a lockout countdown that will need to be reset at a service center.
  • Cold Weather Tips –
  • Please DO NOT place or leave the Intoxalock® on the floor of the vehicle where it will likely come in contact with snow, ice, water, and dirt.
  • You may remove the mouthpiece and keep that in a warm place until you need it.
  • Please DO NOT ‘warm up’ the vehicle by leaving it running while you are not in it.  It is very likely you will miss a rolling retest and be subject to a LOCKOUT.
  • Before pressing the front activation button, it is possible to warm the Intoxalock® by blowing into it 3 to 4 times, or by wrapping it in a warmed towel.
  • No more DEX (direct exchange) recalibrations – all recalibrations and lockout resets must now happen in a service center.  We are working hard to expand our network of recalibration kiosks – most are currently in Car Toys locations, but we are expanding each week until we reach capacity.  Keep an eye on our website (www.interlocknw.com) for the latest service centers in your area.
  • Recalibration Kiosk procedure changes – you will now contact a technician at the service center to perform your recalibration at the kiosk.  The technician is also required by law to walk you out to your car, perform a visual inspection and ensure your equipment is properly functioning.
  • Visual inspections – every time you have your Intoxalock® serviced, the technician will perform a visual inspection of your equipment.  If your system is not operable for any reason or tampering is evident, the technician will call INI management immediately to report tampering.
  • Recalibrations Required – you must have your Intoxalock® recalibrated a minimum of every 60 days.  If you have a credit card on file, you may go two months before your next recalibration; however, if you pay month-to-month, your recalibrations will be monthly.
  • Payments – You must contact our office to make payments before recalibrations or lockout resets are performed.  If your account has a high balance, the technician will return your Intoxalock® without being serviced.  Save time for everyone and call in first!
  • Four-month compliance removal – DOL requires a compliance report on some clients in order to approve their removal.  This consists of a report of your last 4 months with the interlock – if you have any lockout violations or BAC readings of .040 or above, you will need to keep your interlock for an additional 4 months.

 

Posted in DUI Laws, DUI support, ignition interlock, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Talking to Friends and Family about a DUI

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Kelly Jeffries

source: TopNews.In

If you’ve had a DUI, how did you go about telling your family, friends, employer, etc.?  A DUI conviction is a stressful experience to begin with, and in many cases, the support of friends and family can be so very helpful.  Unfortunately, not everyone is supportive, especially depending on the circumstances of the arrest.  The key is finding a balance of openness and privacy that is comfortable.

If your job requires driving, you will need to speak to your employer – being open and honest about your situation will be appreciated by your employer, and will help him or her accommodate your needs while ensuring the business is not impacted.

The ignition interlock device helps to aid in getting your life back to normal – lessening the impact of a DUI.  Finding a good interlock company with great customer service and understanding will certainly help.  Dealing with a DUI charge is challenging, complicating your life in many ways; however, there are ways to make things somewhat easier.

To read the article in its entirety, please click on the link below:

http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/tips-for-talking-to-friends-and-family-about-your-dui-7d2eed42d99f.html

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DUI Laws In Washington State

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Kelly Jeffries

Do you have questions about the DUI laws in Washington State?  They certainly can be confusing, as they are quite complicated and penalties can be strict for people driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.  The laws are complicated and very strict in dealing with people who operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The DUI Laws of Washington

The state of Washington has an implied consent law which means that every driver of a licensed vehicle in the state automatically gives consent to have a breath or blood test if stopped by an officer of the law. A refusal to do so will result in an automatic revocation or denial of a license for at least a year.

Individuals, who take the blood alcohol test and are found to have a BAC (blood alcohol content) which meets the legal definition of DUI, can expect to have their license suspended or revoked for a period of time from 90 days to 4 years, depending on the level of alcohol found in the blood and any prior offenses.

Driving With an Ignition Interlock Device

There is a provision in the DUI laws in Washington State which allows drivers with suspended or revoked licenses to drive their own vehicle, as long as that vehicle has been installed with an Ignition Interlock Device (IID). After submitting an application with the Department of Licensing, the driver may be issued an Ignition Interlock Driver License.  The ignition interlock device is required for every car used by the driver, though an employer may file papers to allow for the use of a company vehicle (without a IID) if driving is a required part of the job.

To read the full article, visit ArticleBase.com

 

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Welcome to the Interlock Northwest Blog!

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Kelly Jeffries

Hello and welcome to the new Interlock Northwest website and blog.  We have been striving to connect on a more personal level with our clients, and this blog is our next step.  We want interlocknw.com to be the ‘go-to’ site for all information from the next steps after getting a DUI, to the court & DOL processes, and of course, everything interlock.  We want to be an informative resource to answer questions you may have in this stressful time in your life – we want to assist you in making a bad situation more bearable.

Interlock Northwest is a family-owned company based in Skagit Valley and has been serving the state of Washington for well over 14 years.  Our staff has 45 years of combined experience in the interlock industry, and we pride ourselves on the best customer service in the industry.  The Intoxalock® is the most advanced and reliable interlock device on the market, and is manufactured by Consumer Safety Technology located in Iowa.

We look forward to working with you and embarking on this new avenue of information exchange.  Thank you for visiting our site.

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