Increase use of alcohol-monitoring technology after DUIs
Colorado will require more people to wear alcohol-monitoring technology if they’re convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Under SB22-055, any person who’s put on probation for a felony drunk or drugged driving offense will be required to wear a device that can detect if they’re consuming alcohol. They’ll have to wear the “continuous alcohol monitoring” devices for at least 90 days.
The change applies to the most significant DUI charges, which can be pressed when a drunk driver seriously injures or kills someone in a crash, or if a person has racked up multiple past convictions.
It’s the nation’s first law mandating the use of the technology, according to manufacturer Scram Systems, although Colorado judges can already choose to require them in some cases. If the device detects a person is drinking, their probation can be revoked and they could be jailed.
The rule isn’t ironclad: People can be exempted from the monitoring requirement if they live in an area where they can’t “reasonably obtain” the device, or if it would not be “in the best interests of justice.” People forced to use the devices are charged $8 to $10 per day to cover the cost, unless they’re unable to afford it.
State analysts expect that nearly 900 people per year will be required to wear the monitoring devices under the new law — quadruple the current number.
The law also includes a change that could help some people get back on the road faster after a DUI conviction, assuming they’re willing to have an alcohol-detection system in the car.
People convicted of DUI, DWAI or excess blood-alcohol content will be able to apply immediately for an “interlock-restricted license,” meaning they can drive using a system that tests a person’s breath for alcohol before the car starts.
That’s already an option under current law, but those drivers currently must wait at least a month before applying for the interlock-restricted license. Drivers who refuse to get an interlock system face license revocations of at least nine months, starting with the first DUI offense, according to the law firm Colorado Legal Defense.
