Ignition Interlock Myth: Your Friend Can “Blow” Your Test

A good friend is hard to find, especially after a drunk driving incident. They may be the person you turned to when you were arrested for driving while intoxicated, or they sat in the courtroom as your conviction was handed down. Friends like that are hard to come by, which is why you owe it to yourself, and to your friend, to never ask for a “favor” when you have an ignition interlock device: don’t ask them to “blow” your BAC test on your behalf.

 

If your friend provides you a clean breath sample for your ignition interlock device:

• You are potentially putting them in the line of fire for helping you “circumvent” the device. In states like West Virginia, your friend could be prosecuted as a criminal for helping you drink and drive.
• You are putting the lives of others at risk as soon as you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, and potentially facing another drunk driving conviction.
• You could be removed from your ignition interlock program, entirely, and end up with much more frustrating ways to prove your sobriety, like a home monitoring device.
• You could lose your driver’s license for a long time to come.
• Let’s face it, you could lose your friend for even asking them to help you drink and drive.

If you ask your friend to blow into your ignition interlock device and you have been drinking, you are putting yourself, your friend and anyone on the road at risk. Plus, if your friend is able to pass the ignition interlock test, they can and should be the only person who is driving your vehicle. A good friend will see the danger in helping you “blow” your test, and at the end of the day, they should be the person you ask to drive you home so you can continue to enjoy such an important friendship for many years to come.