After DUI-Related Death, CDOT Reminds About Smartphone Breathalyzers
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - The Colorado Department of Transportation reminded the public of an outlet to safe driving on Saturday after a teenage boy was tragically killed as a result of a DUI-related crash.
The teen was killed at 100th and Wadsworth Boulevard after 25-year-old Elliott Hayden Bond allegedly hit him in the intersection while driving when he was intoxicated.
Westminster police said the boy was illegally crossing the road when Bond struck him and fled from the scene.
More than 60 people are arrested in Colorado every day because of DUI allegations. One CDOT spokesperson said all of the repercussions of impaired driving are avoidable, especially with modern technology.
"Law enforcement can't get to everybody before it is too late," said Sam Cole, Traffic Safety Spokesperson for CDOT. "A third of our fatalities in the state involve a driver that is impaired by drugs or alcohol."
In hope of preventing future fatal DUI crashes, CDOT paired with a company named BACtrack, which sells smartphone breathalyzers. Thanks to the partnership, regularly priced $99 devices are now on sale for only $50.
Cole said the breathalyzers give an accurate reading of a consumer's blood alcohol levels, and will even advise them how long they should wait before considering driving again.
"All too often, people base a decision on whether they should drink and drive on a guess," Cole said.
More than 1,500 discounted devices have already been sold through the website codot.bactrack.com.
The sale on the devices only lasts through mid-September.
"It may actually save your life, or even save you from getting a DUI," Cole said.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.
