South Carolina to Employ Anti-DUI Device

South Carolina authorities want drivers who lost their licenses because of drunken driving convictions to know about a new policy that could get them back behind the wheel.

A new state law says anyone convicted of second-degree DUI after Jan. 1, 2008, loses their driver’s license for a year. That same law also requires the installation of a system that keeps a car from starting if its driver has had too much to drink.

This week, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services is planning to demonstrate the ignition interlock device.

Drivers must breathe into a device before starting the car. If the result is higher than a 0.02 percent blood-alcohol level, the car won’t start.