Breathalyzers: Test Your Alcohol Levels

We have a long 4th of July weekend ahead of us, which means some of us will attend at least one party to celebrate Independence day. This also means that alcohol will be as plentiful as the cars of party-goers lining the streets outside.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 4th of July is the second most-deadly holiday due to impaired driving, being only behind New Year's. In 2004, more than 15,000 people died in crashes involving a driver with a BAC of .01 g/dL or higher, while 13,000 were in crashes where the BAC was .08 g/dL.

That's where tech comes in. There are many gadgets in the market to test alcohol levels. Doing a quick breath check will help you judge your ability to get behind the wheel. Police departments will be cracking down on drunk driving this weekend, so make sure you're not one of the unlucky ones who gets to spend your 4th of July holiday behind bars or worse yet in a hospital.

Check out these pocket breathalyzers:

• Breathscan Disposable Alcohol Detector: Ever had a drunk guest who refuses to agree to the fact that he/she is too drunk to drive? This breathalyzer will settle that fight. You simply have your guest take a deep breath and then blow on it for 12 seconds. You'll see a quick reading within two minutes, and still have enough time to call a taxi for them. They cost around $3.00 each, and you can buy them in bulk.
  
  
•  Alcohawk Breathalyzer: This one is a bit pricier, but having it around can be very convenient to check your friends' alcohol levels. The digital display will flash results in seconds, and it comes with additional mouthpieces. There is also a Micro version available that hangs on your keychain.
  
  
• AlcoScan AL600: Not only is this a good-looking breathalyzer, but it's also certified by the Department of Transportation and NHTSA. It detects up to .40% BAC, comes with eight mouthpieces and is available in four colors.
  
  
• LG LP4100 Cell Phone: You may not be able to get your hands on one right now, but LG plans to introduce this cellphone equipped with a breathalyzer before the year is over. Not only will this phone tell you how much you've drunk, but it will also prevent you from "drunk-dialing" your girlfriend or your boss if you've reached a BAC level over .08 or after a certain time.
  

Gearlog hit the pubs last month, and wrote reviews on several digital breathalyzers. The AlcoScan AL600 and the AlcoHAWK  were the ones that came closest to the Lifeloc FC10 Breathalyzer used by law enforcement officers.

Unfortunately, I can't say we've tested any of them here at Yahoo! Tech because we don't drink on the job. But who knows, maybe we'll ask for some review units before the New Year, and test them for the sake of hands-on reviews (wink, wink).

But in all seriousness, if you drink, don't drive. Plain and simple.