The Interlock Device Program in Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador province is one of the worst rated in terms of the Ignition Interlock Device program. Its rating was D-, which is the ninth place, showing that a lot of things have to be worked out before the program can be fully functional.

The Ignition Interlock Devices in Newfoundland and Labrador are sold by a private company called Guardian Interlock System and so that company is responsible for the standard of the actual device. This in itself has affected the score of the province just by the fact that the standards cannot be controlled directly by the province. But all in all, the device in Newfoundland has all the requirements that MADD sees as essential for the device.

The actual program is mostly voluntary in Newfoundland, unless there are extraordinary circumstances. That is looked upon as a thing to improve because this sort of attitude makes it really hard to fully implement the program and have it be optimal. The way the program is being run is also lacking, the province doesn’t necessarily stay in communication with the participants of the program. Plus, they have no other option for the people who cannot afford the ignition interlock, which limits the number of people who are actually on the program.

Another concern expressed in this study of the program was the police force in Newfoundland. They don’t necessarily have the authority to stop vehicles at random and check the drivers for the license. Also they don’t have the necessary knowledge and formation to recognize and handle a ignition interlock device.

All those points are to be put to a higher standard before we can say that the program is being applied full force and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador will have to work on that.

^{Source: http://madd.ca/english/research/interlock2008.pdf}