Police Forces Nationwide Now Using Guardian Angel to Help Tackle America's DUI Epidemic

    SAN FRANCISCO--June 27, 2002--Every year during the Fourth of July holiday and the ensuing summer months, thousands of Americans repeat a deadly formula: consume alcohol and then hit the roads. And every year, the results are equally tragic: hundreds of thousands of DUI arrests, accidents, injuries and, ultimately, deaths. This year, law enforcement agencies around the country are using a new tool to educate the public and help reduce this senseless carnage. It's called the Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Test.
    Highway Patrols including Colorado, Wyoming, Rhode Island and California, and city police departments including Washington DC, North Miami Beach, Tucson Arizona and Southern Arizona DUI Task Force, believe these saliva-based test strips, which educate Americans about their Blood Alcohol Content (BAC), could help save lives. That's why these and other law enforcement agencies are launching an unparalleled educational effort to distribute pocket-sized Guardian Angel test packs, often attached to customized educational postcards with DUI facts, to the public.
    "Years of aggressive enforcement and media coverage of the drunk driving problem still haven't succeeded in solving the problem," said Colonel Cox of the Wyoming Highway Patrol. "Now, it's time to take a new approach. We've got to raise awareness among those who don't even realize they are part of the problem. Two-thirds of DUI arrests are first-time offenders, and many of them make an honest mistake when they get behind the wheel. If we can reach those people and give them a tool that enables them to make more informed decisions, we believe it will be an important step in making our roads safer."
    Guardian Angel is designed to educate the public about BAC, encourage personal responsibility, and enable more informed decisions after drinking. A user simply soaks a test strip in their mouth, and in just two minutes, the pad changes color based on the user's BAC. By matching the resulting color to a "risk meter" on the package, users can estimate their alcohol level. The Guardian Angel test is intended to be used solely as a guide and an indicator of alcohol level, as it will not provide an exact measurement. Instead, it estimates BAC within three ranges experts deem as highly indicative of risk, and the package clearly states that it is best not to drink and drive even at low BAC levels.
    Participating agencies emphasized that in addition to advance education, the commitment to enforcement is stronger than ever to remove the intoxicated driver from roads. As Colonel Cox of Wyoming Highway Patrol stated, "Those who make the decision to drink and drive while impaired will be arrested for DUI when contacted by a trooper."
    The Colorado State Patrol will begin distributing the Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Tests to citizens as a complement to its "Heat Is On" educational and enforcement campaign, which places additional troopers in the field on targeted weekend nights.
    "Being realists, we realize that drinking is part of our society," said Colonel Lonnie Westphal, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "So while our enforcement focuses on the letter of the law, we want to be as aggressive as possible in looking for effective solutions that help enable people to make the right decision to not drive after drinking -- before we have to confront them on the road. We believe Guardian Angel can help prevent people from driving after drinking."
    Bill Berger, chief of the North Miami Beach Police Department, believes that Guardian Angel can raise awareness to help make the drunk driving issue more relevant to the driving public. His police force has chosen to add Guardian Angel to its arsenal of community safety tools, and is distributing it to the general public in various outreach opportunities.
    "Enforcement means we are simply chasing the drunk driving problem," Chief Berger said. "Education gets out in front of the issue and is the key to everything, because the vast majority of people simply aren't aware they've had too much to drink. Until there's a product that physically prevents someone from getting into a car, Guardian Angel is one of the most effective tools we have to educate and help people make the right choice not to drive."
    Jeff Scult, Vice President of Guardian Angel, said, "We are proud to be working with law enforcement and believe this collaborative effort will make a difference in the fight against drunk driving."
    So instead of simply chasing down drivers this holiday, law enforcement agencies are providing education and encouragement that may saves lives this summer. Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Tests also can be purchased for under $2 at leading drug stores, supermarkets, gas stations and convenience stores nationwide.

    About Guardian Angel Holdings, Inc.

    Guardian Angel Holdings, Inc., a privately held San Francisco-based company, uses state-of-the-art test strip technology to provide innovative consumer products that enable people to make better health and wellness decisions. Guardian Angel's first product, the Personal Alcohol Test, received a special commendation of excellence in the 2001 National Commission Against Drunk Driving (NCADD) Awards Program as a groundbreaking education and prevention tool. The company has received funding from Silicon Valley venture investors Garage.com and The Angel's Forum, as well as individual investor financing from former or current senior executives of Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, AIM Management, Whistle Communications, Wells Fargo, WebTV, Inktomi and others. Please visit the company's website at www.GuardianAngel.com or call 877/4A-Angel for more information.