A recent Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) program shows smartphone breathalyzers can prevent people from drunk driving. CDOT gave smartphone breathalyzers to 225 people over the summer, and then asked them to provide feedback on using the devices. By the time the program concluded, 84 percent of the participants claimed using the breathalyzers prevented them from drunk driving.

CDOT partnered with BACTrack for the program, a creator of smartphone breathalyzers for iPhones and Android devices.

BACTrack’s breathalyzer uses a separate device from smartphones. The breathalyzer utilizes a wireless Bluetooth connection to send BAC results to either smartphones or smartwatches. It also lets users know when their BACs are estimated to return to 0 percent.

CDOT developed its own app called R-U-Buzzed. While the app is not a breathalyzer, it does allow users to estimate their BACs by inputting gender, body weight and the number of drinks consumed. The app is available for iOS and Android phones.

Why Should People Use Smartphone Breathalyzers?

One of the reasons CDOT’s program may have worked is because participants did not want to face the consequences of being caught drunk driving. Colorado’s drunk driving laws have steep penalties. This can include a five to one year stay in jail, and fines ranging from $200 to $1,000. In fact, 26,000 motorists in our state are arrested for DUIs or DWAIs (driving while ability impaired) every year. While a motorist can receive a DUI for a BAC of .08 percent or more, they might also receive a DWAI for a BAC between .05 and .08 percent.

The legal consequences of a DUI or DWAI should be a minor concern in comparison to other possible outcomes. Also consider that 150 Coloradoans die in drunk driving accidents every year. This number accounts for one-third of all fatal car accidents in Colorado.

Some apps, such as BACTrack’s, allow users to call Uber if their BACs are above the legal limit. There is no excuse to drink and drive, as alternative ways to get home are readily available almost everywhere in the country.