BACtrack Trace Breathalyzer (C6 Update)

As all those that follow Utah Channel 3 know we review Breathalyzers a lot. Our most reset review was in preparation for the Bar and Nightclub Show in Las Vegas, NV in March 2021. After covering the annual SEMA show in November this year, I was impressed with the amount of Breathalyzers that were on display. It is heartwarming that they are becoming mainstream and more widely carried to help with drinking and driving. I personally employ an 8 hour cut-off to drive. I don’t care if I have had one drink or three, I do NOT drive until 8 hours after finishing my last drink. Thus, as you can imagine, we most always have a designated driver or use UBER or casino provided transportation when we go out and drink.

I really do not drink often as I have never developed a taste for hard alcohol. I do like a small glass of wine, but I don’t like house wine so I don’t have it often. This means I am often the designated driver and I on occasion carry a breathalyzer with me to show my friends just how serious a drink can impact their BAC. My new favorite is the BACtrack C6 which you can see me holding next to my family Christmas Tree in the photo below. I think this is very fitting as it is probably the best present that mom and dad can get for their young drinking age kids as the results give quick real time education on the impact of various drinks on their Alcohol Blood Level (BAC).

You may recall me coverage back in December 2018 when Utah went from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent for drivers over the age of 21. Like most states, Utah has a zero tolerance for drivers under 21 years old as they should. One can easily exceed 0.05 percent with a single drink. It is also important to remember that any impairment is bad and can only be negative. Why risk even a 0.01 percent when you want to be at your BEST behind the wheel. I am 22 years old and my generation is very sensitive to such impairment. Maybe it is because we have so many more alternatives at our disposal, from ride sharing to instant social media that makes it easy to get a ride.

The BACtrack C6 uses police grade BluFire sensor technology. While I could get very technical in this review, I will leave that area for Scott or Aaron who are engineers and love this arena. I plan to make this short and sweat as I want this review to appeal to all those that should be using a breathalyzer. The BACtrack C6 has a MSRP of under $70.00. So price should be of no concern. Basically it costs less than three drinks at the Las Vegas Cosmopolitan Marquee nightclub and is a far greater value in the long run.

Operation is simple as this is a one button device. Here are the key features that makes this my recommended choice to all those that drink or have friends/family that drink.

(1) Smart phone connection … lets you keep a history and show graphs and better display

(2) Estimate when you return to 0.00%. I.e. until you are at 0.00% you do not drive PERIOD!

(3) Can call an UBER directly from the App. I still check UBER and LYFT for the best price as they are often different by 50%.

(4) Can’t be used until 20 minutes after your last drink of alcohol.

(5) Just press and hold the activation button and when it goes into countdown and then prompt to blow. Be careful as if you get into app mode it is frustrating. Just keep holding and it will get past app mode and to “blow mode”. This is not explained in the manual.

Enjoy the BACtrack C6 and I encourage you to try it on as many friends as you can. It is very educational and a true lifesaver.

By, April Fischer – Automotive Technology Specialist