COLORADO SPRINGS – Mark Evans, 65, had only taken a sip of his beer when, out of curiosity, he decided to try out a smartphone breathalyzer at Tuesday night’s Colorado Springs Sky Sox game.
Unsurprisingly, he blew a 0.0. The alcohol he had just purchased hadn’t even made its way into his system.
But for those who imbibe, such a device can be a lifesaver, says the Colorado Department of Transportation, which wants people to get comfortable with – and consider buying – personal breathalyzers.
The agency set up a booth at Colorado Springs’ Security Service Field, where people could try out the devices and get information about drinking and driving, as well as what can impact blood alcohol content.
“I don’t think anybody sets out to be arrested for DUI, but what gets people in trouble is judgment,” said Glenn Davis, CDOT’s highway safety manager. Every year, about 30 percent of statewide traffic fatalities are alcohol-related, he said.
CDOT has partnered with breathalyzer company BACtrack, and through the end of September, BACtrack is offering 20 percent off its products – and free shipping – with the code “CDOT.”
With the discount, the product CDOT staff were using at the Sky Sox game costs about $80.
That “may be a little steep,” Evans said, but he said it’s worth it if it discourages people from drinking and driving.
While he knows his limit – “I normally have two beers at a baseball game, and that’s it” – others don’t, he said.
“We’re hoping people learn that there is technology readily available,” Davis said. “It’s $80, which certainly isn’t super cheap, but it’s a lot less than the cost and the ramifications of getting a DUI.”
For first-time offenders, a DUI costs an average of $13,530 in fees, fines, insurance hikes and other related expenses, according to an estimate released late last year by the Colorado Persistent Drunk Driver Committee, which is made up of several state regulatory agencies.
With a BAC of .05, a driver in Colorado can be charged with driving while ability impaired. At .08, it’s driving under the influence.
“When people drink, judgment is affected, and that really can be, for a lot of people, life-changing judgment – not just for them, but for other people on the roadway,” Davis said. “CDOT offers this opportunity for a device that will tell them exactly where they’re at.”
Nicholas Thorton, 23, said the smartphone breathalyzer, which “was super easy to use,” could encourage friends to check each other’s blood alcohol content.
“When you’re out drinking with your friends, you always want to know, instead of having to guess” whether someone can drive, he said. “It could save your buddies from a DUI if you have it in your pocket.”
