No-Nonsense DUI Smartphone App Calls Attorney, Records Arrest

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF)-- Driving under the influence or while intoxicated is a serious offense and a drunk driving arrest has serious consequences.

Now there's a smartphone app for drivers who get stopped by the police for DUI/DWI, to help them deal with their case.

It's called DueyDialer. The app not only records the driver's conversation with the police officer, it also connects them in real time to an attorney.

The app launches when the "Trouble!" button is pushed. It automatically starts recording when you press the "Contact My Attorney Now!" button.

Daniel Delgado, one of the co-creators of DueyDialer, said the app was not made to encourage drunk driving, but to protect and preserve people's rights.

He and his St. Louis-based team consulted with attorneys during the creation of the app to make sure it was isn't cumbersome to use for the driver, or confrontational for the police officer.

"Most people have a device already connected inside the car on the dashboard. It (the app) is one button, it's not threatening, and it records only sound. We have not included video."

Police dashcam video recordings have been used as evidence in many traffic arrests, but Delgado said his legal advisers warned an app that records video could be dangerous for users during a traffic stop.

"We don't want anyone reaching for their phone and holding it up to the officer. We wanted the app to be simple, quiet and as unobtrusive as possible."

So far, DueyDialer is available for download nationwide and works in six states, but it won't execute in California until later this summer.

"We are working with attorneys in California and the San Francisco Bay Area, but we haven't completed their service agreements yet."

DueyDialer is paid for by participating attorneys, and free of charge to the public.