Arizona is leveraging state-of-the-art technology called Intellicheck Age ID in an effort to curb a statewide epidemic of underage drinking. Enforcement officers with Arizona’s Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (ADLLC) are collaborating with local agencies across the state to enforce laws preventing underage alcohol sales at licensed locations.

Based in Melville, New York, Intellicheck is a trusted industry leader in technology solutions that stop identity theft and fraud with real-time identification authentication and age verification. The app will enable officers and store owners to remove any guesswork by simply scanning the back of the barcode on a customer’s driver’s license. Age ID authenticates IDs and verifies age information in real-time with 99.9% accuracy.

Intellicheck CEO Bryan Lewis said in a press release, “Sophisticated fake IDs pose challenges for even the most experienced enforcement officer. Unfortunately, these high-tech fakes are easily and inexpensively available to young people. We are honored to be a part of the solution to the challenges posed by fake IDs that fuel underage drinking. We have seen the significant impact Age ID is having for the more than 55 enforcement agencies across the country that use the innovative app to catch fake IDs and we are confident that Age ID will play a pivotal role in Arizona in precluding the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors.”

The US CDC emphasized the extent of underage drinking across Arizona based on data collected in its most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. The data indicated several alarming trends including 33 percent reported they’d had an alcoholic drink in the 30-day period before the survey was taken and 18 percent of Arizona high school students reported they drank alcohol for the first time before they were 13 years old.

It also revealed 18 percent of Arizona high schoolers said that they binge drank on at least one day during the 30 days before the survey, with female students reporting they had 4 or more alcoholic drinks and males reporting they had consumed 5 or more alcoholic drinks. During that same 30-day period, the survey found that 19% of Arizona high schoolers reported they rode in a car or other vehicle with someone who had been drinking.

“If we can stop one kid from dying in a wreck because he couldn’t get alcohol with that fake ID, it’s well worth it,” said Lewis.