CDOT Launches New App for Spanish-Speakers to Help Prevent Drunk Driving
Denver – As law enforcement agencies across Colorado continue to participate in the national DUI crackdown, a new bilingual BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) app called “Estas Tomado?” is being launched. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is adding the new tool to educate Spanish-speaking Hispanics about making smart choices when drinking alcohol.
The “¿Estás Tomado? Calculadora de DUI” is a free app available in the Android Marketplace. It allows users to estimate their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) based on how many drinks they have consumed, how long they have been drinking, their weight and gender. The bilingual app will allow users to choose between English or Spanish as well as pounds and kilos, making the app culturally relevant for Hispanics. The app suggests that having a sober driver is the only safe option, and even provides the phone number of a local cab company.
CDOT launched the bilingual app to reach the growing number of Hispanics in Colorado who now make up 20.7% of the state’s population and are the fastest growing users of smart phone technology. A study released by the Pew Hispanic Center in 2010 found 76% of Hispanic adults were using cell phones in the United States, and 90% of Latinos ages 18 – 29 and 80% ages 30 to 44 reported using cell phones in 2010.
“The bilingual app is a tool for people to better educate themselves about how much alcohol it takes to make them over the legal limit, and empower them to make better decisions to get a safe and sober ride home,” said Don Hunt, CDOT’s executive director and governor’s representative for highway safety. “Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication is serious issue. Before you go out celebrating, plan ahead by designating a sober driver. If you cannot find a designated driver, our new app will call a taxi for you.”
This is the third smart phone app launched by CDOT in the last two years. An English version of the BAC calculator called “R U Buzzed?” is available at no cost on iPhone and Android. There have been more than 125,000 downloads since the app first launched in December 2009.
The BAC calculator is only a guide that calculates averages. Alcohol affects everyone differently and factors such as food consumption, medication, health and psychological conditions are a factor. Experts recommend that if a person is in doubt, they should always choose to have a sober designated driver no matter how much they have had to drink.
The Android app launches as law enforcement agencies across the state and nation have increased DUI enforcement through Labor Day weekend. Last year, 150 people died on Colorado roads in alcohol-related crashes. Twelve statewide enforcement periods are implemented by law enforcement agencies to catch drunk drivers year-round.
For more information regarding arrest results per agency or DUI enforcement plans, visit www.HeatIsOnColorado.com or www.TomaControlVive.com.
