Nothing ruins a night out like the risk of driving impaired. At No DUI NoCo, we see the ripple effects through our work and research – families changed in an instant, futures altered by choices that could have been avoided. Technology gives us powerful helpers: apps that make it easier to choose a safe ride, estimate whether you’re impaired, and plan ahead so everyone gets home safely.
Below are six apps you can use to consume safely. Each one does something a little different; together, they give you options so you never have to get behind the wheel when you shouldn’t. Note that no app can definitively tell you if it is safe to drive; the only 100% reliable recommendation is not to drive at all after consuming alcohol.
DrinkControl is a lifestyle app that helps you monitor alcohol consumption by tracking drinks, spending, and occasions. It converts drinks into standard units and offers summaries of consumption over days and weeks.
DrinkControl tracks your alcohol intake in glasses, bottles or cans and converts them into standard units of alcohol. The app lets you know when you go over the limit set by moderate drinking guidelines, and how much money you’ve spent and calories consumed with your drinks.
Whether your goal is to cut back for health reasons, save money, or simply keep track of your drinks, DrinkControl is a great option available on both Android and Apple platforms.
AlcoDroid (Android only)
AlcoDroid is a popular alcohol-tracking app designed to help users understand how drinking affects their bodies and decision-making. The app allows you to log drinks by type and size, tracks the timing of each drink, and estimates blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over time using personal factors such as weight and sex. AlcoDroid also shows a clear timeline of when alcohol levels rise and fall, helping users see how long impairment can last well after the last drink.
From a prevention standpoint, we value AlcoDroid as an educational tool: it makes the effects of alcohol visible and encourages safer choices like waiting longer, switching to non-alcoholic drinks, or arranging a sober ride. As with all BAC calculators, its estimates are not exact, so if there’s any doubt at all, the safest choice is always to not drive.
DRUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs) App
DRUID is a research-based app developed by neuroscientists to help users understand how drugs – including cannabis, certain prescription medications, and other substances – can impair driving ability. Instead of estimating a BAC, DRUID uses short cognitive and motor tasks, such as reaction time, attention, and coordination tests, to measure functional impairment in real time. The app compares a user’s performance to their own sober baseline, making it especially useful for substances that affect people differently and don’t show up well in standard alcohol calculators.
From a prevention standpoint, DRUID is a powerful reminder that impairment isn’t just about alcohol levels – if your reaction time and focus are slowed, you’re not safe to drive. It reinforces the safest message of all: if you’ve used drugs and don’t feel fully sharp, don’t get behind the wheel.
BACtrack (works in partnership with BACtrack breathalyzers)
BACtrack is a companion app that works hand-in-hand with BACtrack’s personal breathalyzers (smartphone-connected breathalyzers start at $69.99, but keychain versions are also available for $39.99) to give users real-time insight into their alcohol impairment. After pairing the breathalyzer with a smartphone via Bluetooth, the app displays an actual breath alcohol content reading rather than an estimate, along with a graph showing how levels change over time. Users can log results, set alerts, and track trends from night to night, which helps reinforce safer decision-making.
From a prevention perspective, BACtrack adds an extra layer of accountability: when someone sees a measured result instead of guessing, it’s often easier to make the right call and choose a sober ride. Even so, the app and device are best used as educational and safety tools – if alcohol or drugs are involved at all, the safest choice is always not to drive.
Today’s taxi services, Uber and Lyft have websites and Apple and Android apps you can use to request a sober ride home. Both operate in all 50 states and in thousands of cities. If you didn’t go out with a designated driver, or planned to drive yourself but consumed more than you’d planned on, these ride-sharing services make it easy to hire a ride home when you’re not in the position to drive safely.
A few important realities and tips
- Apps are tools, not guarantees. BAC calculators and trackers are estimates – they don’t replace physical sobriety tests or common sense. If you feel impaired, don’t drive.
- Plan before you drink. The simplest way to avoid impaired driving is a plan: a designated driver, a rideshare account, a saved taxi number, or a friend who’s staying sober.
- Make it easy to be safe. Save local taxi and rideshare numbers in your phone, bookmark sober-dropoff points, and have a backup option (spare cab money, transit schedule, or friend).
- Use technology together. Pair a BAC tracker with a ride-finder app so when the numbers look risky you can order a ride immediately.
- If someone else is impaired, intervene. If a friend tries to drive, take the keys and arrange a ride. Your quick action can save a life.
Driving impaired can change more than a night – it can change lives. These six apps give you ways to check in, measure risk, and, most importantly, call for help when you need it. Use technology, use friends, use planning. Just don’t drive impaired.
As the winter holiday season ramps up and New Year’s Eve approaches, now is a great time to make plans to get home safe – download an app from this list, and try it out before you’re “in the moment.” It’s always easier to make a plan ahead of time than try to figure things out when you’re already impaired and distracted. Make the Call for a sober ride this holiday season, because the best gift is getting home safe.
