Colorado law provides that drivers convicted of even their first DUI offense can be ordered by a court to install an ignition interlock device, requiring them to take a breath test to prove their blood alcohol content is at a level safe enough to drive.

Now, lawmakers in Washington are weighing whether to extend the requirement to all 50 states. A provision included in a federal transportation bill would require drivers nationwide convicted of a DUI to install such a device.

Lobbying groups on both sides are lining up to state their cases for and against the provision.

On one side is Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which can point to Colorado's numbers to show that drunk-driving deaths have fallen since the state's law took effect a few years ago. In 2008, Colorado saw 176 deaths related to drunk driving. In 2010, the number was 127.

On the other side is the beverage industry, which argues that first-time offenders with a low blood alcohol content should not be mandated to install the device in their cars. While the group does not oppose the required use of interlock devices by offenders with multiple convictions or a high blood alcohol content, its representatives also say the cost of enforcement for all offenders would be too much for states to bear.

The federal proposal includes a $25 million grant for states. Colorado DUI offenders currently must pay a fee for their devices. In Colorado, about 17,000 cars are equipped with the device. It's one of 15 states to require them, and only Texas has a higher number of devices installed, nearly twice the number of Colorado.

A one-size-fits all approach to people convicted of drunk driving could have bad consequences. If someone is wrongly convicted or is stuck with an interlock device that malfunctions, it could cause more problems than solutions.

Source: 9News.com, "Federal law would mandate ignition interlocks for DUI offenders," Dave Delozier, Jan. 31, 2012