{"id":863,"date":"2016-05-16T10:30:59","date_gmt":"2016-05-16T15:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/best-dwi-attorneys.net\/?p=863"},"modified":"2016-05-16T10:31:35","modified_gmt":"2016-05-16T15:31:35","slug":"are-breathalyzers-foolproof","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/best-dwi-attorneys.net\/breathalyzers\/are-breathalyzers-foolproof\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Breathalyzers Foolproof?"},"content":{"rendered":"
A breath analyzer is a small, portable device used to measure the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in suspected drunk drivers. \u00a0Blood alcohol is the concentration of alcohol in a person\u2019s blood. Police officers often use these devices as they are used in the field to detect whether a driver is over the legal limit for alcohol.<\/p>\n
A Breathalyzer is a the brand name of one such type of device developed by Robert Frank Borkenstein, but many now use the name of the device to refer to any device that measures blood alcohol content. Some other breath analyzer brands include BACtrack, alcoHawk, and Intoxilyzer 9000.<\/p>\n
The Breathalyzer works by measuring the concentration of alcohol in the breath sample. Most breathalyzers use one of three technologies to detect BAC. The three technologies are a semiconductor oxide sensor, a fuel cell sensor or a spectrophotometer.<\/p>\n
For most models, a person simply blows through the mouthpiece for 5 seconds. The breath analyzer will indicate when to start and stop blowing, and if the sample was not adequate for an accurate reading.<\/p>\n
The sensors measure the alcohol level of air in the deep lungs. This value is converted into the corresponding BAC estimate. Testing is most accurate if subjects have not consumed food or alcohol 15 minutes prior to testing to ensure that there is no residual mouth alcohol.<\/p>\n
However, many cases have found that breath analyzers and tests can be flawed. The \u201cHoney Bun Test,\u201d for example, measured the BAC after a subject consumed certain foods that contain low levels of ethanol. The tests often showed false positives for alcohol immediately after eating those foods. But in most cases, the false positive effect wears off about 15 minutes after ingesting the food or drink.<\/p>\n
These inaccurate readings and false positives call into question the accuracy of the breathalyzer and show that there is a need to perform duplicate tests to ensure that you are getting an accurate reading.<\/p>\n
A Breathalyzer can be a valuable tool for measuring BAC quickly, but it isn\u2019t foolproof. There can be many factors that can interfere with an accurate reading, and in the case of any doubt, a blood test is recommended.
\nIf you think you may be a victim of a false positive or a wrongful arrest, find a DWI attorney that can fight – and win – your trial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A breath analyzer is a small, portable device used to measure the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in suspected drunk drivers. \u00a0Blood alcohol is the concentration of alcohol in a person\u2019s blood. Police officers often use these devices as they are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[383],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n