One of the most common options for preventing a DUI charge is to take a cab after drinking, but with the rise of ridesharing services, taxis aren’t party-goers’ only option anymore. What’s more, these days there’s actually a device that can help you decide whether or not you really need to call that cab to begin with.
A new keychain-sized device called Breathometer plugs right into a smartphone — any iOS or Android device — and operates as a breathalyzer, measuring the user’s blood alcohol content. In the United States, driving under the influence refers to operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08% or higher.
According to tech website Engadget.com, the Breathometer won’t be available until mid-summer, but people can ensure that they’ll get one with a $20 pledge to the company’s Indiegogo campaign.
Until then, Breathometer is teaming up with ridesharing service Uber to promote the device and to help keep people who might be under the influence from getting behind the wheel.
For first time Uber-users, the Breathometer app will allow users to get a free ride up to $20. Uber veterans can also get a free ride through the app if they’re one of the first 100 people to order a ride through Breathometer’s software. For everyone else, buying the device before March 7th will get them a 10% discount.
The Breathometer is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and, according to the company’s Indiegogo campaign, the device also tracks a user’s progress and estimates when the alcohol will have cleared from a user’s system.
