Can an App Tell You If You’re Too Drunk to Drive?

The latest technology may not even require you to add a breathalyzer to your phone

Can an App Tell You If You’re Too Drunk to Drive?

Most Californians recognize that they shouldn’t drive drunk. The difficulty often comes in figuring out when you are too drunk to drive. For some people, 1 or 2 drinks is enough to alter their judgement. Others won’t be as affected by those same 1 or 2 drinks. So how can you know when you’re too drunk to drive?

Since the advent of smart phones, there have been a number of apps that you can use to figure out if you are intoxicated. Most of these apps require you to attach a breathalyzer device to your phone. While some are accurate, many lack the capacity to do a good breath alcohol content (BAC) analysis. As a DUI defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA can explain, a new type of technology may be even more accurate — and eliminate the need for a breathalyzer attachment.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh asked people to drink alcohol in order to raise their BACs to approximately 0.20% — more than twice the legal limit in California. They then attached smart phones to the lower back of study participants and asked them to walk 10 steps in a line and then turn around. The phones measured specific body movements as the participants walked.

Based on the measurements recorded by the phones, the researchers were able to predict, with 90% accuracy, whether the BAC for any given participant was over the legal limit of 0.08%. This type of technology could be used to develop an app that can alert a person if they are too drunk to drive.

Of course, there are limitations on using walking patterns to determine drunkenness. Most people don’t keep their phones on their lower backs, so there is a question of whether the app will work if they’re carrying their phone in a pocket, their hand, or even their purse. It also may not accommodate for differences in walking patterns for people with disabilities.

If this study leads to the development of new technology, it could be an important feature that all smart phones can incorporate, like the “Do Not Disturb” while driving feature on iPhones. That option can be enabled so that a person cannot use their phone when the app senses that they are driving. In the same way, a feature that monitors walking patterns could be offered so that your phone alerts you if you may be too drunk to drive.

If you are charged with a California DUI, you will need a DUI defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA to defend you against the charges. A DUI conviction can have a range of serious consequences, including jail time, steep fees, and a license suspension. At the Chambers Law Firm, we are skilled at helping people who have been charged with DUIs get the best possible outcome for their case. Contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation.

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