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Alcohol and the Brain
 Using alcohol dramatically impacts the brain. It slows and depresses the brain centers responsible for specific behaviors and functions. Some of these functions are critical to life, such as breathing and heartbeat. Other areas control things like motor skills, vision, and judgment. The average sober person has full control over all of these areas, while someone “under the influence” will show a detectable lack of control.
This is what CaviKey does best. The CaviKey System identifies adverse changes in the person’s motor, cognitive, and memory skills, which protects them from driving while impaired.
When blood alcohol content (BAC) goes up in the bloodstream, the brain begins to slow down. The person becomes more and more sedated or “drugged.” The mental functions are the first to go. As a result, people drinking alcohol or abusing drugs often show poor judgment and may take dangerous risks. They’re more likely to be involved in accidents, violence, and such. The more alcohol they drink or the more drugs they ingest, the more parts of their brain and its functions are impaired.
Driving while impaired accounts for approximately 40 percent of deaths on the road. Intervention programs offer an important opportunity to change high-risk behavior for individuals with a history of substance abuse.
Proven Response to National Outcry
CaviKey is the proven solution to a national outcry for high-quality, effective technologies for ignition interlock devices.
 In 2006, Mothers Against Drunk Driving hosted an international symposium on technology. Here’s what they had to say about the need for technological advances considered necessary in ignition interlock devices (IID).
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“There is a broad consensus on the requirements that a good (ignition interlock device) must meet. It should not hassle sober drivers. It should be small, quick, non-invasive, accurate, reliable, repeatable, durable, and easy to maintain. The cost must be acceptable. It should be easy to use. If possible, it should be automatic, unobtrusive and perhaps, invisible to the driver. It will be even more useful if it can serve more than one function such as verifying a driver’s identity to prevent theft or detecting other forms of driving impairment.”
- “A Nation Without Drunk Driving”
Summary Report, November 2006
MADD International Technology Symposium
Please note that
CaviKey meets every single
one of their criteria,
and then some |
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65% Better Chance of Staying Sober
Researchers tracked people during their first year after rehab. They found that a person with an ignition interlock device on their vehicle has a 65% better chance of staying sober than someone without such a device. That’s a 65% increase in the odds of a successful recovery.
90 Percent Effective at Stopping Drunk Driving
According to MADD, research shows that IIDs are one of the most effective ways to keep convicted drunk drivers from continuing to drive drunk. Interlocks are proven to be 90-percent effective.
Americans Want It
Encourage Resource Initiatives says that most Americans support smart-vehicle technology to prevent drivers from driving drunk. CaviKey is the epitome of such technology.
Better than a Blow Tube
MADD also has recognized the need to explore alternatives to the blow-tube IIDs. At the same symposium mentioned above, MADD explained that alcohol affects a driver’s actions. “These effects can be observed in hand and eye movements….” The group called for the development and use of additional advanced technologies, including algorithms… and biometric identification such as thumbprint screens. CaviKey has it covered.
Detects a Problem, No Matter the Source
CaviKey detects impairment beyond alcohol use alone. So, why is this important?
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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006 data reveals that “an estimated 20.4 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users, meaning they had used an illicit drug during the month prior to the survey interview. This estimate represents 8.3% of the population aged 12 years old or older. Illicit drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used non-medically.” |
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Using its patented Impairment Detection Technology®, CaviKey screens the driver for motor skills, mental skills, and short-term memory, so any source of impairment is detected.
CaviKey goes beyond the common testing of blood alcohol content (BAC) to ensure the driver is safe – no matter what. The CaviKey System is designed to detect both coordination and cognitive abilities. After all, impairment can come from many sources including:
- Illegal drugs.
- Alcohol.
- Prescription drugs.
- Over-the-counter medications.
- Sleep deprivation and fatigue.
- Extreme emotional duress.
- Medical conditions, such as stroke, or low blood sugar.
Boomers Deserve to be Safe
According to National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one-third (33%) of the U.S. Population was born during the Baby Boom – the years 1946 to 1964. Many "boomers" grew up using drugs – and may be continuing to do so, as reported in Scientific American on May 16, 2008
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"Researchers from the NIDA cast doubt on the idea that these lifelong recreational drug users will "age out" and grow too old for smoking pot or using other substances. It just doesn’t seem to be the case. Hospital emergency rooms reported that drug use is being mentioned more often among people age 55 and older. “Cocaine mentions at emergency rooms rose 240% between 1995 and 2002, while heroin mentions rose 160%, marijuana mentions rose 467%, and amphetamine mentions rose 700%.” |
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“Moreover, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that illicit drug use among people ages 50-59 rose from 2.7% in 2002 to 4.4% in 2005. Experts say that the trends may be related to the fact that people are living longer, while holding on to the drug-use habits of their youth.”
CaviKey can be a powerful tool to protect the aging Baby Boom population – without limiting their independence.
Having a CaviKey System on your vehicle offers gentle motivation, helping your treatment program to
work better as it guides you toward a
positive
and long lasting behavior change.
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