Technology may have its downfalls, but it has made the world a safer place and provided us with tools to avoid accidents and more effectively deal with accidents when they do happen. The prevention of drunk driving is no exception. If you are lucky enough to get pulled over for driving impaired before you cause an accident, you will face hefty court fees, fines and potential jail time with your DUI. In addition, your freedom will be severely limited under a revoked or restricted license. Fortunately, there are some tools on the market that can help you drink more responsibly and avoid having to hire a lawyer.
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Uber and Lyft
While these rideshare services were originally limited to big cities, they are now pervasive throughout the country, which means that anyone can hail a safe and affordable ride at practically any time of the night or day. All you need is a smart phone. Compare spending $10 on a ride home to having to pay thousands of dollars in legal fees and you might reconsider driving yourself for a night out on the town.
DrinkTracker
When it comes to drunk driving, most people assume that they are good to drive when they shouldn’t be on the road. They are overconfident about their abilities while also underestimating how much they drank and how it is affecting their body. With the DrinkTracker app, you simply enter the number of drinks you have had and it will calculate your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The program will also give you an estimated time until your BAC drops to a safe level and store numbers for you to call if you find yourself unable to drive.
BreathalEyes
If you do get pulled over, one of the first things a police officer will do is look for the presence of Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus in your eyes. This involuntary eye movement is a sure sign that you have been drinking. BreathalEyes is another app that can be used to provide a relatively accurate measurement of your BAC by using your camera to scan your eyes. The trick is to use this information wisely and not get behind the wheel if it is a bad idea.
BACtrack
What could be more accurate for testing BAC and making the decision of whether or not to drive than your own breathalyzer? This external device connects to your smartphone. When you blow in the attachment, the corresponding app will display your BAC. If your alcohol levels are high, you can use the “Get Home Safe” function to call a ride service or contact a friend.
While the jury is still out have had on drunk driving, common sense says that based on their popularity, they must have prevented some accidents and arrests along the way. If you are headed for a night on the town, do a little planning ahead so that you can make smart decisions even when you aren’t necessarily thinking straight. A simple app may keep you from having to hire a lawyer.
