BYOB on NYE: Bring Your Own Breathalyzer

Here's a friendly message from the Minnesota State Patrol: Don't get "toasted" on New Year's Eve.

In other words, don't drink and drive. As of Dec. 18, about 1,300 people were arrested for DWI, according to preliminary DWI arrest information from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. State officials are hoping that tonight will mark Minnesota's fifth successive year with no deaths caused by drunken driving on New Year's, and to make sure that happens the police will be out en force.

There are a number of ways to stay out of the stir on New Year's. You can plan for a safe ride, use a designated driver or cab, or take the Metro Transit, which is offering free rides on New Year’s Eve from 6 p.m. through the last scheduled trip on buses and light rail.

However, there is a high-tech option as well. Behold, your own personal breathalyzer. An array of breathalyzer gadgets have hit the market, some of which are small enough to fit on a key chain. The most common brands are Vinotemp, AlcoHAWK, and BACtrack. They range in price from about $60 to $150.

Here's where you can pick one up in Burnsville:

• Walmart
• Target
• Best Buy

Note, you have to give it 20 minutes before the machines will detect anything and they are not fail safe. They are merely a guide. If you're stumbling and sending unwise texts to your ex, don't drive, even if the device says you're under .08.