Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday signed into law bills seeking to protect the public from drunken drivers and to prevent children from being left unattended in vehicles.

One bill would implement an ignition interlock program to help keep convicted drunken drivers from driving while intoxicated.

It clears the way to install ignition interlock devices on the cars of people convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver would have to blow into the device, which will lock the ignition and not permit the vehicle to start if the person's blood-alcohol content level is above 0.02 percent. If the person is a first-time offender, the judge has the discretion of whether to require the ignition interlock device.

Before yesterday's bill signing, Hawai'i was one of only five states without an ignition interlock law.

The second bill makes it a violation of the state's traffic code to leave a child under the age of 9 alone in a motor vehicle for five minutes or longer. A first-time violator would be subject to a fine of $200 to $500.

Under this new law, rescue personnel would be allowed to remove a child from a motor vehicle without civil liability, if the child is deemed to be in danger.

If an adult guardian or sitter cannot be found, rescue personnel can report the incident to law enforcement personnel who may take the child into protective custody.