You’re tempted. Admit it.

You have a DUI in North Carolina, and your sentence includes putting an ignition interlock on your vehicle. For the next year, you’ll have to breathe into the device every time you drive. And pay the fees. And of course, avoid alcohol when driving.

Unless you blow off your interlock. the whole thing off. Just drive without the interlock – who will know?

In fact, driving in North Carolina without a required ignition interlock is one of the all-time Bad Ideas, for a lot of reasons:

• You’re not just driving without an interlock, you’re driving without a license. News flash: your driving privileges are not reinstated until you get that interlock. Not doing that could mean jail and fines. Because the courts issue licenses for a reason, and they revoke them for a reasons, and they don’t like it when people don’t pay attention to those reasons.
• You’re driving without insurance. Any accident that happens is on you, including the medical bills of anyone you injure. A serious collision could unleash legal and financial demons that will hound you for the rest of your life.
• You could lose your wheels. Impoundment is right there in the vehicle code.
• You’ll pay more for you auto coverage. If you do get your act together and complete your interlock requirement, your arrest for driving while suspended will still be on your record. Insurance companies have a way of dealing with drivers who commit offenses. It involves more money.

North Carolina arrests more than 150,000 people each year for driving while suspended. Some are found after being stopped for violations, and others are picked up as a result of license plate checks. If you blow off ignition interlock and keep driving in North Carolina, you’re entering a lottery in which the chances are very good your number will come up. Unfortunately, the prize is more trouble than you can handle.

So if you’ve got an ignition interlock requirement, make the appointment, get the installation, and follow the rules until your interlock period is over. In the final analysis, that’s the easy way out.