While driving can be a convenience to get you to and from work, running errands and for recreational purposes, it also can pose serious hazards. In particular, a lethal mix of alcohol and driving can lead to accidents and cause serious injuries and fatalities. A recent accident in St. Petersburg, Florida has led to the fatality of another driver, and the driver at the helm of the crash is facing numerous offenses that include vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. Even when no injury or accident occurs, drivers caught behind the wheel with a blood-alcohol content above .08% will face significant fines and possible jail time, notes Orlando Florida DUI defense attorney David Katz.
As our nation realizes the societal consequences incurred by impaired drivers, modern technology is responding with new ideas. The following devices and applications may be useful to adult social drinkers, or their friends, who want to be extra careful going home after a night out.
Alcohoot:
Cellphone applications such as Alcohoot can offer good decision-making information for those who are thinking about getting behind the wheel after drinking. Alcohoot is the nation’s first breathalyzer system for your smartphone. It works similarly to a police breathalyzer system and has accurate results. The Alcohoot includes a small breathalyzer that hooks up to your cellphone via Bluetooth. When the user breathes into the system, it accurately records their blood alcohol level. It also offers suggestions on local restaurants in the area to go to and sober up, and “call a cab” or friend options.
Breathometer:
The goal of Breathometer is to prevent alcohol-related mishaps that could endanger the lives of the driver and other innocent victims on the roads. The application tests the blood alcohol content through the smartphone and special attached device. The sole amazing feature of the application is its very accurate blood alcohol content reading, making it an affordable and handy device to have on hand in the prevention of driving drunk.
BreathalEyes:
Many individuals who drink insist that they are able to drive, even when their blood alcohol level has exceeded the legal limit. In such situations, friends may have to show proof that the offender is too drunk to get behind the wheel of a car. Instead of analyzing the alcohol content through the breath, BreathalEyes tests the driver’s level inebriation by tracking the movements of the eyes. The concept is similar to the field sobriety test of Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) where the movements of the eye and alcohol consumption are measured. After downloading the BreathalEyes cellphone app, you can test anyone for HGN before you hand them the keys to their car.
There are an assortment of cellphone applications on the market today that offer an alternative to just guessing whether you are sober enough to drive safely. While some have the capabilities of those used by law enforcement and are extremely accurate, you’ll find that others are strictly for entertainment purposes. The best way to avoid a DUI is to not drink alcohol and drive. If you plan to drink, and want to use your cellphone app to monitor your blood alcohol level, you’ll find an assortment of resources such as the smartphone applications mentioned above.
