1. Reducing DWI With Interlocks The New Mexico Experience
Richard Roth, Robert Voas, Paul Marques
Supported by PIRE, NHTSA, and NM TSB
8th Ignition Interlock Symposium
August 26-7, 2007
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

2. New York Times Editorial November 25, 2006
.. “The initial (MADD) goal, which is backed by associations of State highway officials and car manufacturers, is to have all states do what New Mexico has already done: require that all convicted drunken drivers, even first-time offenders, have devices installed in their cars that measure alcohol in the breath and immobilized the car if levels exceed set limits.”
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

3. An Ignition Interlock is an Electronic Probation Officer
Dedicated Probation Officer in Front Seat
On duty 24 hours per day
Tests and Records daily BAC’s
Allows only Alcohol-Free Persons to Drive.
Reports All Violations to the Court
Costs Offender only $2.30 per day (1 less drink per day)
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

4. New Mexico Interlock Laws
1999 Optional for 2nd and 3rd DWI.
2002 Mandatory for all Aggravated and Subsequent DWIs. Indigent Fund
2003 Ignition Interlock License Act: ….an alternative to revocation.
2005 Mandatory Interlocks for all DWIs: yr for 1st ; 2 for 2nd ; 3 for 3rd ; Lifetime for 4+
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

5. NM Interlock Regulations NM DOT http://ipl. unm
Objective: To implement Interlock Laws
Licensing of manufacturers, service centers, operators, and installers
Device standards & recording requirements
Installation, servicing, and removal.
Record keeping and reporting requirements
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

6. Interlocks are Effective, Cost-Effective and Fair
Interlocks reduce DWI re-arrests by 40-90%
They reduce the economic impact of drunk driving by $3 to $7 for every $1 of cost.
Interlocks are perceived as a fair sanction by 85% of over 5000 offenders surveyed.
..But they only work if…
you get them installed.
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

7. Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

8. How does New Mexico compare with other states in interlock utilization?
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

9. Do Interlocked Offenders have a Lower Re-Arrest Rate?
Court Mandated Installations of Interlocks Selected as installations within 90 days after conviction. N = 3089
Voluntary Installations Selected as all others. N = 4961
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

10. Court Mandated vs Voluntary Installations
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

11. Effectiveness with Court Mandated Offenders
Comparison Groups(RED) Interlocked Groups(GREEN)
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

12. Effectiveness with Volunteers
ie. Not court-mandated
RED=Comparison Groups GREEN=Interlocked Groups
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

13. Ignition Interlock Law
Cravens Crash
Ignition Interlock Law
Down 36%
Down 30%
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

14. Statewide recidivism decreased.
8.0% Before
6.7% After
A 16% Reduction
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

15. Before After 8.7% Before 6.2% After A 29% Reduction Roth 8/26/07
Even greater effect in Santa Fe County where more interlocks were installed per DWI conviction.
A 29% Reduction
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

16. Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

17. Fewer Alcohol Involved Fatal Crashes and Fatalities
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

18. Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

19. Survey of Interlocked Offenders
77%
81%
63%
69%
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2007 Interlock Symposium

20. January to September 2006
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

21. Interlocks Installed Per Conviction in First 9 months of 2006
Caution: this figure includes installations by persons not convicted, and changes of provider.
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

22. Caution: Includes some changes of Provider.
Interlocks Installed per DWI Arrest by County in NM
Jan-Sept 2006
Caution: Includes some changes of Provider.
Room for Improvement
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

23. Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

24. Proposals to Close NM Loopholes
Add “or electronic monitoring” for No car.
Vehicle Forfeiture for driving while revoked without an interlock.
Vehicle Immobilization or Interlock between arrest and adjudication.
Crime to contribute to circumvention.
Apply interlock sanction to juvenile offenders.
Mandate a period of alcohol-free DRIVING before getting unrestricted license.
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium

25. Legislative Recommendations
Immobilization or Interlock between DWI arrest and adjudication.
Mandatory Interlock for at least one year for all convicted offenders with electronic monitoring or urine testing as the only alternatives.
Compliance Based Removal. Requirement: No recorded BAC > .05 by any driver for a year.
Interlock License as an Alternative to Revocation.
An Indigent Fund with objective standards.
Mandatory Period of Interlock before Unrestricted License Reinstatement.
And finally here is my recommendation for Ideal Ignition Interlock Laws: 1. Mandatory interlocks for at least 1 year for all convicted DWIs with immobilization as the only alternative. 2nd The an Ignition Interlock License as a complete alternative to revocation. (the best carrot for offenders and essential for judges to mandate interlocks) 3rd. a fund to support the cost of interlocks for the objectively indigent, supported by a surcharge on non-indigent offenders. We have almost achieved these first three in NM. We do not have immobilization as the only alternative to interlock and our indigent fund does not have an objective standard.
There are 2 more components of the set of Ideal Laws: First, Compliance Based Removal, the requirement of at least a continuous year of alcohol-free driving in the interlocked vehicle as evidenced by no recorded BAC > 0.04 by any driver of the vehicle. And secondly to reach everyone arrested, I recommend immobilization or interlock of the vehicles of all persons arrested for DWIs (because the offenders are flight risks and their vehicles are danger to the public as evidenced by the number of additional DWI arrests between their original arrest and its adjudication.
Roth 8/26/07
2007 Interlock Symposium