Breathalyzers: Getting To The Bottom Of The Myths

One night when you’re out and you’ve had a little too much to drink, you might think twice before driving home if you’re worried about being pulled over and made to take a breathalyzer test. A breathalyzer test uses your breath to estimate your blood-alcohol content, and the police routinely use breathalyzers to decide whether people are likely driving while influenced by alcohol.

So what is a breathalyzer test? It’s actually a pretty effective way to determine how much alcohol you’ve had to drink. A police officer may give you the test and then arrest you on suspicion of drunk driving if your breathalyzer test results are positive. The breathalyzer test has helped lots of people be safer on the streets. It helps determine if someone has been drinking enough to be a danger to themselves or other people on the road if they are driving, but it also can prevent those people from driving in the first place. If a person who’s been drinking too much knows they might be pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving and then given a breathalyzer test, he or she might not drive to begin with it – and that can only be a good thing.

Now that we’ve said that, you should know that people have thought for a long time that they might be able to change the results a breathalyzer gets if they just do certain things. Let’s examine these myths to see what’s really true.

Breathalyzers measure your blood-alcohol content: Actually, breathalyzers don’t measure your blood-alcohol content. They measure how much alcohol you’ve got on your breath and then estimate your blood-alcohol content from that.

Sucking on a penny can lower your blood-alcohol breathalyzer result: this isn’t true either. Sucking on a penny won’t do anything except give you a terrible taste in your mouth.

If you chew gum or suck on breath mints this can lower your estimated blood-alcohol content: Doing this will do nothing of the sort; the breathalyzer will be able to measure the alcohol on your breath even after you chew gum or suck on breath mints.

Mouthwash can help lower your blood-alcohol content as measured by the breathalyzer: Not the case at all. In fact, the opposite can be true. If the mouthwash contains alcohol, it can actually artificially RAISE the blood-alcohol reading a breathalyzer would give, because that alcohol would be added into the “alcohol breath” reading that the breathalyzer gives.

Breathalyzers are completely accurate: This isn’t true either, because breathalyzers measure ethanol and other substances with similar molecular structures. A blood test is usually given after a breathalyzer test in order to obtain an accurate measure of blood-alcohol content. A breathalyzer test is, however, an effective screening test to get drivers who are alcohol-impaired off the streets. It is also an effective deterrent; as mentioned before, if there’s a good chance that you will be pulled over, given a breathalyzer test and then taken in for additional questioning, you probably are less apt to drive, even if you have had only had a “little too much” alcohol to drink.

What’s the bottom line about these breathalyzer myths? Do not drive if you have had any alcohol. Take a taxi home, or have someone else drive you, then return for your car after you are sober. After all, the breathalyzer is sufficiently accurate to accomplish its job, which is to prevent drunk drivers from driving. Don’t let the breathalyzer nab you while you are “under the influence.

Written by Robin Saunders, an accomplished writer that tackles numerous topics including alcohol, DUI, breathalyzers etc. The author uses a breath tester himself and it’s time to get one for yourself.

categories: alcohol tester,alcohawk,breathalyzers,breath tester