A recent Twin Cities invention may help Minnesota’s bar-goers avoid DWIs.
According to inventor Ryan Walden, “You have a speedometer in your car to help you obey the speed limit, yet we’re expected to obey drinking and driving laws without access to a tool that is supposed to help us obey the law.” Enter the IntoxBox, coming to a bar near you.
The IntoxBox is a breath-test machine designed to measure the blood-alcohol content of bar customers. To operate it, the customer pays $2 to blow into a disposable straw attached to the console. They are then asked to guess their BAC level. If guessed correctly, a code is issued for a free test.
Similar products were already available on the market, but problems with accuracy, maintenance, and appearance prevented their widespread use. Walden says he consulted with distributors and bar owners about these issues, and then set out to invent a machine that really worked.
The IntoxBox can be found in 6 popular Twin Cities bars, and there are already plans to install the machines in 15 more locations this year. Walden claims the test is just as accurate as police breathalyzers, but the IntoxBox has one distinct advantage: drivers can measure their BAC before they get pulled over.
Walden believes that the IntoxBox will be a valuable resource for bar patrons and owners alike. It offers customers a resource they need to drink responsibly, and it gives bar owners a new way to bring in business.
IntoxBox can currently be found at Cowboy Jack’s and Joe Senser’s in Bloomington, Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, Shamrock’s and Fabulous Fern’s in St. Paul, and The Cabooze in Minneapolis.
Related Sources:
Intox-box.com
StarTribune.com
