Steve Miller Reporting
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- On New Year's Day a tough new Illinois DUI law goes into effect that will force even a first-time offender to prove he's sober before his car will start.
This ignition locking system for first-time offenders had been imposed only on repeat offenders who have to prove they're not drinking by blowing into a Breathalyzer device.
What about attempts to outsmart the system - like the suburban man who kept an oxygen tank in his car?
Susan McKinney administers the program for the Illinois Secretary of State, and she says the system is fairly sophisticated.
"It requires that the person blow at the same time, or it requires a blow-suck-blow kind of pattern. Neither one of those things can be replicated with an air hose."
And McKinney says asking someone sober to blow into the device for you is a class A misdemeanor.
As you may have heard, Illinois is getting a tough new DUI law in January: Even a first-time DUI offender may not drive his car unless he blows into a Breathalyzer device that unlocks the ignition.
How secure is the system? WBBM's Steve Miller looks at that part of the story.
The question came up: Could a drunk driver potentially get a sober friend or relative to unlock the ignition?
"If you do blow into somebody's device or they blow into yours, if you're caught, you're both going to be guilty of a class A misdemeanor."
Susan McKinney, who administers the program for the Illinois Secretary of State, says even if somebody else starts your car, you wouldn't get very far.
"The devices are set to have what's called a rolling re-test. So I might be able to pay you to blow into my device to get my car started, but once I start off driving down the road, it's going to require that I blow again intermittently throughout my trip."
Drivers with even one DUI after January 1 - who want to continue driving - must buy the 15-hundred dollar ignition locking system.
Contents of this site are Copyright 2008 by WBBM.
01/02/2009 2:22PM
Cometcatcher
This is an unbelievable ripoff. Does the Governor have an interest in the company which manufactures this gizmo?
Guitar Justice A Canadian band leader who found his acoustic guitar smashed at O'Hare, spent a year trying to get compensated and videotaped a song, which he says finally got some results. WBBM's John Cody reports.
SEE THE VIDEO
Burr Oak Graves Graves are dug up for profit at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip. 4 people charged. FBI tries to ID remains bulldozed from their graves. WBBM's Bob Roberts reports.
Kidnapping, Not? Elgin police say they’re investigating a reported kidnapping, but they’re not sure if one really happened. WBBM’s Bernie Tafoya reports.
Passenger's YouTube hit get United's attention A Canadian band leader who found his acoustic guitar smashed at O'Hare, spent a year trying to get results and videotaped a song, which he says finally got some results. SEE IT
WBBM-AM 780 has been the consistent all news radio voice in Chicagoland for over 35 years and is now streaming online for free. Listen online to Chicago news as it happens around the clock, along with Chicago traffic, Chicago weather, Chicago sports and Chicago business. Subscribe to WBBM's free podcasts for additional Chicago business and Chicago community reports and listen to Chicago news on demand. WBBM news radio is also the home for Chicago Bears, Chicago Auto Show and Chicago Air & Water Show. www.wbbm780.com
E-Mail Story
Print Story
