For Fourth Consecutive Year, BACtrack and Colorado DOT Partner to Reduce Drunk Driving in Colorado

For Fourth Consecutive Year, BACtrack and Colorado DOT Partner to Reduce Drunk Driving in Colorado

BACtrack and CDOT’s partnership, now in its fourth year, is the first of its kind in the country between a state department of transportation and a breathalyzer company. The impetus for the partnership is the more than 20,000 people arrested each year for DUI in Colorado - that's about 60 DUIs per day.

BACtrack and CDOTs shared goal is to increase awareness of breathalyzer use to decrease drunk driving and DUIs. The partnership also seeks to normalize breathalyzer usage and encourages Coloradans to check their blood-alcohol content (BAC) and confirm they’re sober before driving.

Statewide Ad Campaign

CDOT’s 2019 Do One Smart Thing advertising campaign officially launched July 1st and encourages Coloradans to “breathalyze before you drive” and drive sober.

The campaign exclusively features the BACtrack C8, which is the only breathalyzer on the market to provide a user with the estimated time their BAC will return to 0.00% based on their current BAC result right on the device display. This is BACtrack’s patented ZeroLine® feature, which is also available via the BACtrack app.  

Campaign ads are visible in billboards, posters and bus tails, in-bar coasters, and mirror and door clings across Denver, as well as in online and social media ads, and radio ads.

Additionally, CDOT has a presence at various events offering hands-on demos and free BAC testing using BACtracks. These events run through early September and include Broncos and Colorado Rockies home games, Denver’s Summer Brew Fest, A Taste of Colorado, and other events. 

Breathalyzer Brunch

This week, BACtrack joined CDOT and the Denver Police Department for the first-ever Breathalyzer Brunch. The purpose of the event was to demonstrate the benefits of using a BACtrack and show how easy it is to use in any setting and integrate it into one’s normal drinking routine.

The brunch was held at Spanky’s Roadhouse in Denver where guests enjoyed Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s along with their meal. Brunch attendees each received a BACtrack C8 and were asked to track their BAC level over brunch and as they consumed drinks.

During brunch, CDOT Communications Manager, Sam Cole, BACtrack Founder and President, Keith Nothacker, and Officer Kurt Barnes from the Denver Police Department spoke about the benefits of using a BACtrack to learn when you are sober and safe to drive and about the consequences of drinking and driving.  

Officer Kurt Barnes from the Denver Police Department spoke about the consequences of impaired driving – the repercussions that come from poor decisions, which can range from a DUI conviction costing more than $10,000 to more severe outcomes if a person were to get involved in an accident or kill someone after drinking and driving.

Officer Barnes encouraged everyone to use their BACtracks and share them with friends. He concluded, “We want to applaud everyone for even taking the time to be here; this is a great opportunity and the Denver Police Department is very much in favor of it.” 

Past BACtrack-CDOT Campaigns and Research Programs

The 2019 campaign builds on BACtrack and CDOT’s continued partnership.

In 2018, CDOT and BACtrack's "Colorado Blows Before Driving" campaign offered discounts on breathalyzers exclusively to Colorado residents resulting in sales of nearly 3,000 BACtracks. Additionally, in partnership with Responsibility.org, 200 units were distributed at no cost to Coloradans ages 21 to 34, encouraging breathalyzer use among young adults. Read more.

In 2017, CDOT and BACtrack partnered again on a similar program — this time recruiting first-time DUI offenders, offering them a free BACtrack in exchange for feedback on how the device impacted their decisions relating to drinking and driving. Following the program, 94 percent of participants agreed that everyone who regularly drinks should own a personal breathalyzer. Read more.

In 2016, CDOT recruited 225 Coloradans to use a BACtrack and complete surveys about their drinking habits. At the end of the program, 84 percent of participants agreed that owning a smartphone breathalyzer lowered their risk for a DUI or DWAI. Read more.