Help, My Kid has an Interlock Requirement

As parents, we want only the best for our kids. We try to teach them right from wrong so that they can avoid trouble and the consequences that go with it. But, kids aren’t always the best decision makers, and those decisions can become deadly when alcohol is added to the mix. Despite “zero tolerance” and underage drinking laws, anyone who drives can be convicted of drinking and driving, including your kid. And when they have an ignition interlock requirement, your life can be affected, as well.

If your kid has an ignition interlock requirement, the device may be ordered on any vehicles they have access to… which could mean your vehicle. You could have to learn how to use the device alongside your child, because the device doesn’t discriminate between any person starting the car’s engine. You may be in a position where you have to demand your child only drives your vehicle to ensure they are in compliance with the court order, and, let’s face it… you may have to bear the financial burden, as well.

The good news is that when your sage advice about drinking and driving hasn’t been heard, the court-ordered ignition interlock process can step in and change your child’s motivation to drive while intoxicated. Parents aren’t always the last word in any disciplinary measures, and when a judge hands down a requirement like an ignition interlock, any person of any age has the time to truly consider their own relationship with alcohol, driving and the mixture of the two.

If your kid has an interlock requirement, the easiest thing to do is to put them in the driver’s seat for their own rehabilitation. Even if you are inconvenienced, the lessons that are learned through the interlock and your obvious frustration can be life-long and save others from another risky driver on the road.