Anyone convicted of drinking and driving in B.C. will now have to provide a breath sample before going for a drive.

Under the new law, a $1,500 ignition interlock device, which uses technology similar to a breathalyzer, must be installed on vehicles. Anyone with a drunk-driving conviction who is caught driving a vehicle without the device, which is normally installed on a dashboard, risks losing his or her driver's licence.

The law, which came into effect Sunday, will also apply to anyone who accumulates two 90-day administrative driving prohibitions or three 24-hour roadside suspensions within a five-year period.

The ignition interlock device is wired directly into a vehicle's ignition system and prevents the vehicle from starting if alcohol is detected.

It also demands ongoing, random breath samples to ensure the driver remains alcohol free while operating the vehicle.

If someone attempts to disconnect or bypass the device, or a breath test is failed, the device will repeatedly warn the driver to shut down the vehicle.

If those warnings are ignored, the vehicle's horn would sound and its hazard lights would flash until it is shut down.

Research shows interlock reduces recidivism by 45 to 90 per cent among both first-time and repeat offenders, the province said.

Similiar programs have already been introduced in other provinces, including Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Alberta