{"id":120,"date":"2026-05-13T19:36:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T19:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=120"},"modified":"2026-05-13T19:36:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T19:36:45","slug":"nc-lawmakers-back-ignition-locks-to-keep-impaired-drivers-off-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=120","title":{"rendered":"NC lawmakers back ignition locks to keep impaired drivers off the road."},"content":{"rendered":"

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As a longtime optical technician, Stephanie Ronan was used to helping patients. But in 2019, the roles were permanently reversed when she was hit by a drunk driver and severely injured.<\/p>\n

Read more West Charlotte fire near school, baseball fields intentionally set, department says<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI had a career I loved and a normal life with my children,\u201d Ronan said. \u201cThen in one moment, everything changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ronan was left with a near-fatal neck injury, a brain injury and permanent visual impairment.<\/p>\n

And just three weeks before the accident, the license of the driver who hit her had been revoked for a previous DWI offense, Ronan said, but that didn\u2019t stop him from drinking and getting behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

Now, N.C. lawmakers are proposing stricter requirements for a technology they say could help stop accidents like Ronan\u2019s from occurring, requiring all DWI offenders to install an ignition lock device that would prevent their car from starting if they\u2019ve been drinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis bill is about trying to do something that actually works, rather than throw somebody in jail, rather than suspend somebody\u2019s license \u2014 which is a mechanism that has shown it does not stop people from driving,\u201d Rep. Mike Schietzelt, a Republican from Wake County, said at a news conference Wednesday. \u201cWe have the technology now to tailor it to the offense, to change the behaviors and to make North Carolina streets safer.<\/p>\n

House Bill 1199 \u2014 introduced last month \u2014 would require DWI offenders to install the ignition lock device in their vehicle for a year after the offense, Schietzelt said. The device, like a breathalyzer used by law enforcement, connects to a vehicle\u2019s electrical system and stops the car from starting when the driver blows a blood alcohol level of 0.02% or higher \u2014 stricter than the state legal limit of 0.08%.<\/p>\n

The driver must pay $3 per day for the device, Schietzelt said, with a larger one-time fee for installation. Drivers can apply for assistance from the state if they need help covering the cost, he said.<\/p>\n

People convicted of driving while impaired in North Carolina can be required <\/b>to install an ignition lock device in their car, and lawmakers led a push last year<\/a> to expand voluntary access before an individual\u2019s case goes to trial to reduce punishments.<\/p>\n

But while previous campaigns for the devices were rooted in \u201cencouragement,\u201d Schietzelt said, lawmakers are now focused on \u201censuring people who are convicted of driving drunk do the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose behind this, again, is not to be punitive, but instead to change behaviors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Read more Chance the Rapper announces Ballantyne show during pit stop in Charlotte<\/a><\/p>\n

The proposal for the ignition lock device will be folded into other traffic safety legislation within House Bill 1199, alongside plans for technology<\/a> preventing a vehicle from going over the speed limit for drivers with multiple speeding violations.<\/p>\n

The ACLU voiced its opposition<\/a> to the bill last week, citing data privacy concerns and \u201cunnecessary\u201d barriers for offenders hoping to restore their license.<\/p>\n

But Schietzelt said opposition is rooted in misunderstanding, as he said the technology wouldn\u2019t transmit or store an individual\u2019s data.<\/p>\n

Existing practices of revoking licenses for violations are ultimately not enough, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt shows you that that tool does not work, but we have a tool that does,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a tool that does not interfere with privacy rights \u2014 it\u2019s simply intended to change behaviors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decision to require interlock devices makes \u201cperfect sense,\u201d said Rep. Timothy Reeder, an Ayden Republican cosponsoring the bill. As a practicing emergency technician, Reeder said he\u2019s seen firsthand the \u201chuman tragedy\u201d that impaired driving can cause, and the technology is a necessary step to prevent a DWI offender from \u201cmaking a bad decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should no longer rely on just the punishment, but using the available tools to prevent someone from getting behind the wheel of a car who\u2019s drunk,\u201d he said at the news conference.<\/p>\n

Advocates for the DWI technology joined in those calls Monday, saying the existing policies for DWI cases are insufficient, and calling on lawmakers to advance the ignition interlock program as a deterrent for repeat offenders.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not about punishment,\u201d said Jeanette Best, a volunteer with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. \u201cIt\u2019s about prevention. It is about stopping tragedy before another family gets the knock at the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 3:26 PM<\/span> with the headline “NC lawmakers back ignition locks to keep impaired drivers off the road..” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Driver dies in head-on collision in Union County, other driver injured<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

North Carolina lawmakers propose requiring ignition lock devices for DWI offenders to prevent repeat drunk driving and improve road safety after serious crashes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nNC lawmakers back ignition locks to keep impaired drivers off the road. - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=120\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NC lawmakers back ignition locks to keep impaired drivers off the road. - 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