When pulled over by the police, you are not alone if you feel anxious or panicked. This is common when faced with the police. This feeling may intensify if you are dealing with an officer who suspects you of driving under the influence of alcohol. After a cop pulls you over, odds are the officer will subject you to a breathalyzer test. These tests estimate the concentration of alcohol in your blood. While many believe these tests to be accurate, it may not be the case. According to the New York Times, breathalyzer tests may not be accurate.
During a breathalyzer test, the officer will ask you to blow air into an instrument. Unfortunately, many of these tests turned out to be inaccurate in the past because of human errors and a lack of governmental oversight. These tests are extremely sensitive instruments.
Before use, these instruments need calibration. If not properly calibrated, these tests may be up to 40 percent inaccurate. How can you trust the blood alcohol concentration if the test does not undergo proper calibration? Mistakes with the machine’s software and programming can affect a test’s accuracy.
In addition, other issues may come up with breathalyzers. For instance, if you recently brushed your teeth, used mouthwash or even used hand sanitizer, it can throw off the results of the test. In addition, breath temperature can also skew the results. Breath samples that read above 93 degrees may result in a higher alcohol concentration read.
A DUI charge is extremely serious and can lead to severe consequences for a driver. If breathalyzer tests are inaccurate, it can lead to wrongful convictions.
