It’s that time of year when we all scramble to find last minute stocking-stuffers, or perhaps we’re still looking for a gift for that person who already has everything. Look no further.
It goes without saying that, for all the good that the holiday season brings, the unfortunate reality is that it also brings with it the very real and dangerous potential for drunk driving. Every year, we warn of the dangers of drunk driving during the holiday season. We also warn of heightened law enforcement efforts to catch drunk drivers and suggest alternative methods home from work holiday parties and the like. While we have in the past talked about personal-use breathalyzers, it’s worth discussing them again, and even suggest them as the perfect gift this holiday season.
Breathalyzers are no longer accessible to law enforcement. Breathalyzers are so readily available nowadays that, in addition to the standard multiple-use breathalyzer, they have developed single-use disposable breathalyzers and breathalyzer apps for the smartphone.
As you can imagine, the range in the quality and price of personal breathalyzers is quite large. 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 multiple 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.
Just because I believe that personal breathalyzers can prevent a DUI, it doesn’t mean that they are 100% accurate. 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 or if 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.”
At a minimum, however, having a personal breathalyzer might help people bridge the gap between how a person perceives what their intoxication level is and what their blood alcohol content is. And while many breathalyzers might not provide an accurate reading, it might still prevent people from driving simply because they now know that they are close to the limit. And knowing a range is certainly better than knowing nothing and making a stupid guess. This Christmas why not give the stocking-stuffer that just might save the recipient’s life?
The post Personal Breathalyzer: The Perfect Stocking Stuffer appeared first on Law Offices of Taylor and Taylor - DUI Central.