State releases new app to cut down on drunk driving - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports

It's one of the biggest party weekends of the year, St. Patrick's Day. And police say that leads to more drunk drivers.

"Some people then tend to make that decision to drive when they've had too much to drink," said Wisconsin State Patrol Sgt. Rich Reichenberger.  "You know there is nothing wrong with going out and having a good time, it's when it becomes an issue when you get behind the wheel and you don't have someone sober to drive."

State patrol officials say last St. Patrick's Day weekend, 4 people died in car crashes in Wisconsin. This year they're trying to make that number zero.

To do that, the State Department of Transportation has launched a new app.

"There's a BAC estimator," said Wisconsin State Patrol Major Sandra Huxtable. "So you can put in your gender, your weight, about how many drinks you've had over what period of time and it gives you kind of a gestimate as to where you might be as far as your BAC is concerned."

There's also impairment goggles, these let you see how alcohol affects your vision.

The app also includes a spin-the-bottle game to pick a designated driver.

But authorities aren't just relying on new technology. State Patrol plans to have more officers on the roads this weekend.