A minor change to the DUI law enacted by the Arizona legislature became effective on January 1, 2012 and is more lenient to first time DUI offenders, according to azcentral.com.

This retreat was a curious move by a state that is known to be one of if not the toughest state in the nation when it comes to cracking down against drunk driving.

The new law requires first time offenders to have an ignition interlock device installed inside their vehicle for a period of 6 months as opposed to the previous, more stringent, requirement of 1 year. Nonetheless, Arizona is still one of only 15 states that make an ignition interlock device mandatory for a first time DUI offender.

In addition to blowing into the device to start their vehicle, offenders must pay an installation fee, generally around $120, and a monthly maintenance fee that runs about $80 per month.

Since 2007 when the ignition interlock device became mandatory for first time offenders Arizona’s DUI related fatalities in Arizona have dropped substantially. For example, there were 399 DUI related deaths in 2006 and only 210 in 2010.

Members of the Arizona state legislature believe that the year-long requirement believe was too harsh. However they have not shied away from reinstituting the year-long requirement if there is a spike in DUI fatalities in 2012.

If It’s Not Broke Don’t Fix It

I understand that having an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle can be quite a burden. It is expensive and inconvenient.

Nevertheless, the reason that we have drunk driving laws is to protect the other drivers on the road. And, the 2007 modification made by the Arizona legislature accomplished that objective

As a result, I feel that the legislature is making a mistake. They feel that they can step off of the gas pedal after significant progress has been made when instead the legislature should continue to use the same program that has worked so well in the past.

Even though I believe that the 2012 amendment to the ignition interlock requirement is a mistake, I hope that I am not sitting here at this time next year telling you that I told you so.

What do you think?

Click to learn more about Arizona drunk driving laws

Click to find an Arizona DUI attorney