Holiday parties, celebrations, driving under the influence…

If you’ve checked in with friends and family over the past few days, then you may have realized how many people are prepping for a holiday “get together.” It could be you’ve noticed Facebook friends chatting about attending holiday celebrations, including everything from their children’s school holiday program to their annual “office party.” 

Complimenting all of the chatter about holiday parties are the news items listing the locations of the sobriety checkpoints along your local highways and byways. And this year there are even new creative apps that may be able to convince you not to drive while under the influence.

First let’s talk about the “Breeze”

It could be that this year people will add a “breathalyzer” to their holiday wish list. This contraption caught our eye as you actually breathe into it and with an app that you can have on your smartphone (Android or iPhone) it will help you determine if you are sober enough to drive. It is important to remember that this app is not certified by the Department of Justice and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has not endorsed it.  Here is a brief news report from ABC30. See what you think.

If you are having trouble viewing the video, you can see it here.

ENDUI a new app to see just how drunk you are…

On December 11, 2014, the State of Maryland’s government and police officials announced the availability of a new app called ENDUI. This particular app is free and will work on both Android and iOS.  This creation of this app was funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to the Seattlepi.Com:

Users enter their sex, height, weight, and number of drinks consumed to help figure out their blood-alcohol level. They also can play two interactive games to test reaction time and cognitive agility. And the app uses GPS technology to call cabs and pre-load phone numbers for potential designated drivers…One of the games on the app involves pressing a red “brake” button when an image of a pedestrian passes by or a car ahead stops. The app says just how fast — or slow — users react and how much time their car would have needed to avoid a collision.

The other game shows nine road signs that blink in different order; users try to recall the order, which gets increasingly challenging with each round — with or without drinks.
 

Investigate what is available in your own state…

ENDUI is sponsored by the State of Maryland; however, other states have also designed similar apps. Those states include New York, New Mexico, Colorado and California. It is important to remember that all of these apps are clever, but they can really only assist you in determining your impaired condition. It is always a good idea to:

•  plan ahead, don’t assume that you will be able to drive home
•  talk with your family members and friends and choose a designated driver who is committed to making sure that everyone will get home safe
• make sure you have the phone number for a local taxi service and/or a service like UBER
• if your local AAA is offering rides home, take advantage of their generosity

Most importantly our Cottonwood staff wishes you a safe and healthy holiday celebration.