In 2009, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) released its free R-U-Buzzed mobile phone application that can help drivers know if they have had too much to drink. The app works by calculating blood alcohol content (BAC) based on weight, gender, how many drinks a person has had and how long it has been since the last drink. These features let users know if they are over a .08 BAC and too drunk to drive.
In addition to calculating the BAC of potential drunk drivers, the app can use GPS to determine where user is and suggest a nearby taxi service. Since 2009, more than 400,000 people have downloaded the application, which cost CDOT $8,000 to develop. CDOT has claimed the target audience for the app is men between 21 and 34 years old, the demographic most likely to be involved in drunk driving accidents.
Can Other Smart Phone Apps Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents?
In the last six years, numerous other applications have come out as smart phones have become more popular. Other states have put out similar smart phone apps much like the one developed by CDOT. Although R-U-Buzzed calculates the BAC of motorists, some apps can call rides home for those who are too intoxicated to drive. Other apps let users input names and phone numbers of people they would call for a designated drive home.
Last week we wrote about CDOT’s crackdown on drunk driving during the 4th of July weekend. With new technology capable of finding rides home or warning people they are too impaired to drive, there are fewer excuses for drinking and driving.
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