NY Police Use Anti-DUI Talking Urinal Messages (original) (raw)

Traffic safety officials in New York’s Nassau County are using talking urinals as a unique way to reach men with a "drink responsibly" message.

Attracting the attention of the elusive male drinking demographic has always been a challenge for the Nassau County Police Traffic Safety Division. In its continuing efforts to get the word out that drunk driving won't be tolerated, the division has initiated a pilot program featuring the Wizmark Urinal Communicator to be distributed free to bars located within the county.

Their intent is clear: "You Drive Drunk You Go to Jail." No county money was required to purchase these talking electronic message boards. Instead, they were paid for with DWI fines collected from convicted offenders.

The men's room offers one relatively untouched ad vehicle that just about everyone who enters it faces: the urinal.

The patented Wizmark Interactive Urinal Communicator is positioned within the urinal and directly above the drain. By sheer logistics, this strategic location immediately attracts the viewer's attention to the public service announcement contained within.

The device automatically recognizes the presence of a "visitor" and after a brief delay allowing the viewer to get properly positioned, proceeds to emit a very audible pre-recorded 15-second message stating, "Hey you, yeah you, having a few drinks? Then listen up! Think you had one too many? Then it's time to call a cab or call a sober friend for a ride home. It sure is safer and a hell of a lot cheaper than a DWI. Make the smart choice tonight; don't drink and drive."

Even before activation, informative graphics on the 3.5-inch display screen of the device catch the potential violator's eye and deliver a DWI message directly to the targeted unsafe driver or hopefully one of his responsible friends.

The rollout of this Nassau County-funded Anti-Drunk Driving initiative is co-sponsored by Marge Lee. Lee, a DWI crash survivor, is director of DEDICATEDD, a grassroots DWI victims advocate organization committed not to crusading for abstinence from alcohol, but to directing its efforts toward educating the public about drinking and driving.

Locations suitable for Wizmark's anti-drunk driving and anti-drug messages include restrooms in bars, restaurants, concerts, sports stadiums, highway road-stops and schools.

For more information visit www.wizmark.com.