Could Temporary Electronic Tattoos Prevent Drunk Driving?

By Zane T. Cagle | August 2, 2016 | Car Accidents, Drunk Driving, Featured, Inattentiveness, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death

Electronic Temporary Tattoo Possibly Combat Drunk Driving

University of California, San Diego

Recently, researchers at the University of California, San Diego invented a disposable electronic temporary tattoo that monitors a person’s alcohol levels through their sweat.  This idea may provide some innovative new methods to prevent drinking and driving in the future.

Currently, breathalyzers can sometimes give false positives and we are all familiar with the news on the invasive nature of having your blood drawn at a DUI stop.

Ultimately, the choice to climb behind the wheel after one has been drinking alcohol is nothing other than negligent.  Since drunk driving is a continual problem evident in the 9,967 deaths due to drunk driving in 2014, we look for new, innovative ways to prevent people from making the bad choice to drink and drive.

So as an alternative, researchers have come up with the electronic temporary tattoo. It may not be the end-all answer, but we have to applaud the technology advances.

The Basics of How It Works

Reportedly, the new technology accurately measures a person’s alcohol levels through their sweat.  The potential in this technology may help not only the drink and potential DUI offender, but also may help bartenders keep from over-serving. The UCSD who developed the device has also developed other wearable monitors that utilize the temporary tattoo design to monitor glucose and lactate levels.  Each use the flexible electronic board which is about the size of stick of chewing gum.

The tattoo is printed with silver and silver chloride electrodes. When they are connected to a charge, they produce a small current which releases a drug into the skin, promoting the user to sweat.  When the sweat comes in contact with the surface of the sensor, the tattoo checks the alcohol concentration in the sweat.  The results are then transferred from an electronic board to a mobile device via Bluetooth.

Possible Drawbacks

So, my first concern when reading this was the fact that a drug has to be introduced to make you sweat in order for the electronic

The question of the level of “invasiveness” remains.  While it may not seem as invasive as having blood drawn, it will be debatable.

Does the End Result Justify the Means?

Good question.  Even if this temporary electronic tattoo is not the DUI prevention answer, maybe it is a step in the right direction?  What means will we have to go to try to prevent almost 10,000 preventable drunk driving deaths a year?  We’ve attacked the drunk driving problem through education and awareness for about two decades, intensely.

Due to the sheer number of preventable deaths that occur due to alcohol-related crashes, we have to continue to evaluate and improve our prevention methods.  This latest advance could very well be a step in the right direction.

Seeking an Attorney

If someone has been issued a DUI, they most certainly contact an attorney. However, those people who have been injured in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes frequently do not seek a personal injury attorney for a variety reasons, but it is a mistake.  Many wrongly believe the DUI offender will have to compensate them through the criminal case.

However, “compensation” as termed in criminal law is very different from compensation in a “civil case”.  Compensation in a criminal law case is not usually enough to begin to cover medical bills, let alone any other living costs that may be due.

No one wants to think about having to hire a personal injury attorney and we make the process easy. Once we take on your case, your only focus is to recovery and get your life back to normal.  If you are injured in any type of motor vehicle accident, you should call a personal injury attorney if for no other reason than a free consultation.

Our attorneys are available seven days a week for free consultations. Call us at (314) 276-1681.

About The Author

Zane T. Cagle

Zane T. Cagle is the founding president and lead trial attorney at The Cagle Law Firm. With a strong dedication to his clients, he has built a reputation for his tenacious representation in personal injury cases, ensuring each client's unique story is heard. Areas of Practice: Personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death. Bar Admissions: Supreme Court of Missouri, Illinois & Kentucky. Superior Court of U.S. Virgin Islands Education: Washington University School of Law. Awards: Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers Association, 10 Best in Missouri for Customer Satisfaction.

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