30 Sep Startup company says patch can prevent drunk driving
When groups of people go out for drinks in New York, one person in the group may volunteer to be the designated driver. If abstaining from alcohol is difficult, a designated driver could slip up and drive drunk. Now, a startup company has invented a product that can easily test a person’s alcohol consumption to make sure that they are OK to drive.
The New Mexico-based company DermaTec recently created an alcohol-detection patch called the ONUSBlue. When the patch is attached to a person’s skin, it detects the presence of alcohol in the person’s sweat. If the patch changes color, the person wearing it has alcohol in their system, and they no longer qualify for the designated driver position.
DermaTec needs more funding to get its alcohol-detection patch mass-produced, but the company hopes that it will be available at bars and restaurants soon. The company is hoping to work with businesses that may want to order branded patches to give to designated drivers. When a group leaves a bar, bar staff could check the designated driver’s patch to make sure that they can get their friends home safely.
A DUI charge could seriously impact an individual’s future career and education prospects. If a person has been charged with drunk driving, he or she might want to speak to a criminal defense attorney regarding any options they have available. Depending on the circumstances of the case, a lawyer may look over any tests that were administered to potentially find errors in procedure. In the event that the charges cannot be dropped, an attorney could also negotiate with the prosecution for reduced penalties.