Ignition Interlocks and Your First Date

Once a person has been convicted of drunk driving, there is a stigma to overcome. The proof of past irresponsibility can be easy enough to ignore unless the offender has been ordered to use an ignition interlock device, which is becoming more and more common across the country. While it is a privilege to be able to continue operating a vehicle after a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction, the driver’s social life may be impacted by such an order. Let’s be honest. There are plenty of romantic combinations in this world, but an ignition interlock and a first date is not one of them.

An ignition interlock device is a sign that you may not be a responsible person, even if the incident that landed you in this predicament was a one-time lapse of judgment that was completely unlike you. Perhaps you normally use a designated driver or take a cab home from a night on the town, or maybe you are a repeat offender.  First dates are a time to make a lasting and wonderful impression upon the other person. Ignition interlock devices don’t tend to live up to that standard. As many DUI offenders will attest to, having an IID installed in a car can be enough to turn a first date into a last and only date.

When you find yourself in the intersection of an ignition interlock and your first date, consider where you and your date will meet. If you have been ordered to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle, the last place you need to go on your first date is a bar or party where alcohol is as abundant as the choice to drive drunk. Drinking alcohol should be the last thing on your mind during your date, and it is important to think about what you will tell your date if asked why you don’t want an alcoholic beverage. Staying away from places and situations that encourage drinking can be a huge step in moving forward with life after a DUI conviction. Adults are still faced with the pressure to drink, much like teenagers, and making a smart choice to stay sober on a first date can not only prove your commitment to changing your life, but also to the possibility of a first date becoming more.

Ignition interlock devices can complicate a first date even if you do not pick your date up and drive to your romantic setting together. In a society that places a lot of emphasis on drinking as a form of adult fun, you will need to be creative with your venue ideas. Luckily, there are plenty of options for the adventurous spirit. Hopefully, your date will end up being more memorable than why you had to think outside the box in the first place.