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Save lives with Designated Driver app for iPhone

Ever tried to operate your phone after having one too many? Designated Driver lets you text five or more friends with the tap of a button. Or call a cab with the tap of another.

rickbroida
rickbroida
Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
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Rick Broida

Drunk drivers have killed people I care about. Twice. So if you're a drinker, I urge you to grab a copy of Designated Driver.

This iPhone app has the potential to save not only your life, but also the lives of perfectly innocent others.

Here's how it works: You choose five or more friends from your address book to serve as your "designated drivers."

Later, when you tap the "I Need a Ride Home" button, everyone on your list gets a text message--complete with your location and an embedded Google Maps link.

There's also a big yellow Taxi button that can connect you to local cab companies--just in case you can't find a friend to give you a ride.

In an ideal world, this app would be free. Instead, it sells for $1.99. If you're thinking that's too much to pay, consider the costs of a wrecked car, a DUI charge, and shattered lives.