It has been one full year since Hawaii rolled out a new interlock ignition program and advocates of keeping drivers form driving drunk are pleased with the results.

There was much fanfare during the official kickoff about how a breathalizer hooked up to a car's ignition could make Hawaii's roads safer.

Since January 2011, 1,106 people who have been caught driving under the influence of alcohol have had the opportunity to get behind the wheel, legally.

"We are pleased with the number. It shows that this program is being accepted in this community," said Carol McNamee of the Hawaii chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

The breakdown island-by-island looks like this:

• Oahu - 675 cases
• Maui - 211
• Big Island - 180
• Kauai - 40
• There are none on Molokai and Lanai.

But the more revealing numbers are those provided by the vendor Smart Start showing how many times the locks were triggered.

There 4,237 times that engine starts were actually prevented.

"So 4,200 times the public has been saved, if you want to look it that way from having an alcohol-impaired driver on the road," said McNamee.

And while the original intent of the law was to include repeat offenders, a conflict with the new law and the old DUI law excluded them this first year.