Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Press Release

Zero In Wisconsin smart phone app will help those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to drive sober.

Statement from Wisconsin Department of Transportation

By - Mar 12th, 2014 11:50 am

The luck of the Irish won’t prevent a drunken driving arrest—or even worse—a crash on St. Patrick’s Day if you drive while impaired. So if you’re planning to celebrate this festive holiday, your plans should include downloading the free Drive Sober app for mobile phones. A free download is available online at the WisDOT website: (www.zeroinwisconsin.gov).

As part of the Zero In Wisconsin traffic safety campaign, the Drive Sober app includes:

  • A blood alcohol estimator
  • A designated driver selector
  • A Find-a-Ride feature that uses the phone’s GPS to provide contacts for nearby taxi, mass transit and designated-driver services
  • Impairment goggles that show the physical effects of increased alcohol levels
  • Video clips of Wisconsin’s top skateboarders, BMX bikers, snowboarders and snowmobilers performing amazing stunts as seen in the Zero In Wisconsin TV messages.

The app has been updated recently to provide more Find-a-Ride transportation options, and it now has a direct connection to a 911 operator to report a drunken driver.

Since the app’s launch one year ago in March 2013, approximately 44,000 people have downloaded it.

“Last year during the St. Patrick’s holiday weekend, March 16 and 17, four people died in Wisconsin traffic crashes. This year, if drivers designate before they celebrate and never get behind the wheel while impaired, we could attain zero traffic deaths,” says David Pabst, director of the Wisconsin State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety. “By downloading the Drive Sober app, motorists can help prevent drunken driving crashes that devastate individuals, families and entire communities.”

The State Patrol also offers the following advice for a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day:

  • Before you start partying, choose a sober designated driver.
  • If you’re feeling buzzed, you probably are over the 0.08 (alcohol concentration) limit and should not drive. Take mass transit, a taxicab or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
  • Some taverns and restaurants have programs to provide patrons with a safe ride home. (Visit www.tlw.org for more information).
  • In the Milwaukee area, MillerCoors and the Milwaukee County Transit System are again teaming up to provide free bus service on St. Patrick’s Day. Route and schedule information is available by calling 1-800-FREE-RIDES (1-800-373-3743) or visiting www.ridemcts.com.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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