Apple to nix apps that tip off drunk drivers

NEW YORK - Apple says it will start rejecting iPhone applications that tip drivers off about police checkpoints for drunken driving.

The move comes after pressure from four senators - Charles Schumer of New York, Harry Reid of Nevada, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey and Tom Udall of New Mexico -- asked the company in March to remove such apps.

Apple updated its app developer guidelines Wednesday, "Apps which contain DUI checkpoints that are not published by law enforcement agencies, or encourage and enable drunk driving, will be rejected," according to the new guidelines.

On Thursday, some DUI apps were still available in the App Store, but Apple usually gives developers a chance to update their apps so they can conform to the new guidelines before booting them off.

The apps often combine warnings about DUI checkpoints - supplied by other users of the app - with warnings about speed traps and red-light cameras.

An Apple spokesman had no comment on the change in the guidelines. In a statement, Reid said that "I strongly encourage Apple to take the next responsible step of removing all applications that allow unsafe drivers to evade police checkpoints."

It's unclear whether Google will follow suit with the Android Market. The company earlier said it would not pull the apps. Along with Apple, the company was urged to stop sales of such apps by Schumer during a recent meeting of the Senate subcommittee on privacy, technology and the law.