MEGAN SCOTT explains how a personal breathalyzer works.
Pick a color and take a breath. The BACTrack breathalyzer promises to take the anxiety out of New Year's celebrations. (AP Photo/HO/Courtesy of KHN Solutions)
We promise we're not trying to rain on your "party like it's 2007" parade.
But considering the fact that New Year's Eve produces more DUI arrests and alcohol-related fatalities than almost any other night, remember to play it safe -- no DUIs, no accidents, no close calls.
KHN Solutions, which distributes blood alcohol content testers to professional organizations, has a new BACTrack personal breathalyzer that aims to take the anxiety out of New Year's celebrations. As sleek as a cell phone, the BACTrack gives an accurate blood alcohol concentration in seconds. (There are several other personal breathalyzers on the market.)
"We sell this to every different type of consumer -- parents who are testing their kids, people who have had one or more DUIS, who don't want another one and want to know their exact level at all time," says Keith Nothacker, president of KHN Solutions.
So how does the thing work?
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THE DEVICE
BACtrack -- a personal breathalyzer which tests blood alcohol content
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HOW IT WORKS
Hold the BACtrack a half inch from your mouth and breathe into the tube on the end. An indicator light flashes to signal when to start and stop blowing. BAC appears on the screen in seconds.
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THE RANGE
It has a range of .00 -.40 percent. (The legal limit is .08).
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THE SPECS
It's the size of a cell phone (4 inches long and less than a half-inch thick.) No mouthpiece is required, so you don't feel germy sharing it with friends. You can blow into either side and it can be used over and over again.
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THE DOWNSIDE
If the police stop you, they might not be interested in hearing about your self-administered breathalyzer test. Needs 2 AA batteries. It has to be recalibrated each year. Not sold in stores.
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IT'S BEEN SAID
"You can feel a certain way, but until you see the exact level on a screen, you really don't now how intoxicated you are," says Nothacker. "Once police test you roadside, it's really too late.
"We found that once people bring it out, it's just a very social item," he says. "People want to share it and encourage others to test their alcohol level."
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THE PRICE
$79.99 (comes with a leather case, instructions, one-year warranty).
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WHERE TO GET IT:
Bactrack.com
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