Many people are arrested on suspicion of a California DUI after only having one or two drinks. Could those arrests have been prevented if the arrestees knew their blood alcohol content was only, say at a 0.09 percent blood alcohol content and they waited a little while before getting behind the wheel? Maybe, if they had their own breathalyzer.
I’ve written several posts on the availability of different types of personal breathalyzers from single-use disposable breathalyzers to breathalyzer phone apps. People can, however, also purchase regular multiple use breathalyzers. Some are attached to keychains and tend to be low-quality novelty items. Others are a more expensive and are of a quality similar to what law enforcement uses.
Not surprisingly, quality breathalyzers will, in most cases, cost well more than inferior breathalyzers. Costs will vary between $15 and several hundred dollars. Breathalyzers under $50, and those coming on key chains have questionable accuracy from the start and accuracy continues to decrease after several uses.
Unlike novelty breathalyzers, quality breathalyzers will be backed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that the FDA conducts research to confirm that the breathalyzer does what its literature says it does.
So is it still possible for a person to get arrested on suspicion of a California DUI even if their personal breathalyzer indicates that they are under the legal limit?
Of course it’s possible.
I can’t even count how many times I’ve told my readers that breathalyzers, even the high-quality breathalyzer, are inaccurate. Almost all quality breathalyzers, like those the police use, require calibration after repeated use to ensure accuracy. Some products allow for owners to calibrate themselves and some require that the breathalyzer be sent to the manufacturer for calibration. Heavily used and non-calibrated breathalyzers will likely not be accurate.
It is possible for a person’s blood alcohol content to continue to rise after a breathalyzer reading, especially if they’ve only recently stopped drinking. Therefore, it is also possible for a person to have a blood alcohol content of 0.07 when they leave the bar (and when they test themselves) and a 0.09 after they’ve been driving for a while. If that is the case, you can still be arrested and charged for a California DUI.
Lastly, a person does not necessarily need to be above a 0.08 blood alcohol content to be arrested and charged with a California DUI. A person can be arrested and charged with a California DUI if they are above a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content orif they are “under the influence.” In other words, you can be a 0.07 percent, but if an officer determines that you cannot safely operate a vehicle as a sober person could, you can still be arrested and charged with a California DUI.A breathalyzer may determine if you are under the legal limit, but it cannot determine whether you are “under the influence.”
The only foolproof way to prevent a California DUI is to not drive after drink anything. However, if a personal breathalyzer can help prevent a DUI, I’m all for it.
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