Interlock Device: Being Grounded as an Adult

The Uncomfortable Cheese of It All

Let’s face it: some of these laws sound like they were cooked up by folks who have never been 17 — or, even worse, by a parent who lost a kid’s car keys once and said “never again.”

The “20-day impound for donuts” rule: It basically turns a moment of showing off into “yay, no car for a few weeks — good luck carpooling with Linda for work.”

Driving around with an interlock device: it’s like your car now judges you harder than the DMV clerk ever did. You want to refuel at Starbucks before work? Hope you don’t sip your morning latte first.

Tampering with the IID? That’s not a glitch; that’s a crime. Which means your rebellious teenage years just got rebranded as misdemeanors.

All intended — presumably — to make Virginia roads safer for everyone. But man, talk about turning driving into a high-stakes performance review.

🚗 So What Should You Do (or Not Do)?

Want to show off your car’s tires? Maybe skip the donuts in the Walmart lot. Use a track day (somewhere legal), or better yet — don’t.

If you’ve had a DUI — treat that IID like your new pet: feed it (blow into it), walk it (drive with it), and don’t try to sneak out. Because if you do — it’ll nail you with logs, fines, or worse.

And most importantly: when in doubt, drive boring. Normal. Safe. Because the new laws don’t just fine you, they might get your wheels yanked and your license suspended.

Virginia just raised the stakes on “looking cool” and “living to drive another day.” Better to leave the smokey tires and sneaky drinks to movies — in real life, obey the new rules... or you might find yourself walking (or calling an Uber) rather than rolling.

If you want — I can walk you through real-world hypothetical scenarios under the new law (like “What if I get drunk and spin out tires in a church parking lot with 3 friends?”) — kind of like a “Choose Your Own Reckless Driving Adventure.” Want me to build that for you?