How reliable are breathalyzers for alcohol test?

The breathalyzer was invented in the 1950s. It uses to perform alcohol test by measuring the amount of alcohol in the air exhaled by a person. How does this work? It is very complicated to predict how many drinks a person will have, just as it complicates to assess how quickly a person will eliminate alcohol.

So, to find out if you are fit to drive, you need to use a breathalyzer. Alcohol consumption can indicate by the presence of ethanol in a person's exhaled breath.

How does a chemical breathalyzer work?

The chemical breathalyzer, also known as a "balloon,". It uses for an alcohol test. Its main ingredient is a chemical reagent, potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7). When an intoxicated person blows into the breathalyzer, a redox reaction takes place and the chromium VI ions - which are orange in color convert into chromium III ions - which are green in color.

The breath test tube contains a sufficient quantity of potassium dichromate to ensure that the reaction between the ethanol vapor and the reagent can complete (at least if the test subject does not exceed the legal limit too much).

Rights and obligations regarding the alcohol test. The police can request a test hours after the end of the journey.

The alcohol screening devices of the executive have been in use since the end of 2005. It is particularly positive that the control density could significantly increase as a result. However, many drivers are often unaware of their rights and obligations when it comes to tests.

What is the difference between a pre-test device and an alcohol dispenser?

Pre-test devices are not calibratable. Therefore, there are no legal disadvantages such as penalties associated with a positive preliminary test.

A positive aspect of the pre-test devices is that they save time: there is no waiting time, as with the alcohol dispenser. So, a suspicion of alcohol consumption can quickly determine or reject through alcohol test. Sober drivers can drive on after a few minutes.

Drivers who are suspected of being under the influence of alcohol must continue to have their breath tested using a calibrated and reliable tester.

What do breathalyzers measure?

The pre-test devices measure the breath alcohol content. The road traffic regulations set the limits for both blood alcohol (in parts per thousand) and breath alcohol (in milligrams of alcohol per liter of breath). One per thousand corresponds to 0.5 mg/l.

When can the police carry out a test?

The police can carry out an alcohol test at every check, even if there is no suspicion. It doesn't matter whether you use an alcohol dispenser or a pre-test device. A test can request even hours after the end of the journey. Even pedestrians can check if they suspect to have caused an accident.

Where can the authority check?

Even if there is no evidence of alcohol consumption, every driver can test on the road. If there is a concrete suspicion, the police can demand that the driver come to the nearest police station and examine there. The authority even has the right to carry out a test at the driver's home.

However, only if there are indications that the person was driving under the influence of alcohol, for example if the smell of alcohol, unsteady gait or slurred speech suggest excessive alcohol consumption.

What happens if you refuse the alcohol test?

The refusal of the alcohol pre-test does not result in a penalty, but the driver then has to do an alcohol mat test.

Anyone who refuses to take the test without any medical reasons is liable to prosecution. Even if the medical examination afterwards does not reveal any alcohol impairment. The authority assumes that those who refuse to drink have the highest degree of alcohol.

This means that the driver faces the same penalty as if he had had an alcohol content of more than 1.6 per mille in his blood. The consequences are fatal. There is a risk of a fine of between 1,600 and 5,900 euros. In addition, if you refuse alcohol test, you lose your driving license for at least six months.

Follow-up training, an official medical report and a traffic psychological statement are also pending for the alleged alcohol offender.

When is a blood sample taken?

If no test can carry out for medical reasons such as asthma and there is a suspicion of alcohol consumption, a doctor must take a blood sample. The use of physical coercion by the police is not permitted. However, a refusal has the same consequences as refusing a test.

The waiting time of result?

So that the result of the alcohol test can be used seriously, it must ensure that 15 minutes have passed since the last alcohol consumption. In order not to falsify the result, smoking, eating or using a mouth spray prohibits during the waiting time.

How accurate are police breathalyzers?

Breathalyzers can vary greatly in accuracy. In principle, only a blood test that can determine the alcohol level safely and accurately is valid in court. As the first test object, the police use devices that determine the alcohol level through breathing. She uses high-quality, expensive and calibrated devices that can determine the alcohol value down to ± 0.03 ‰.

How reliable are breathalyzers for alcohol test?

In general, when buying breathalyzers, you have to pay attention to the way the blood alcohol level determines and the specified measurement deviation, regardless of whether you buy it in a specialist shop or online. However, you can also purchase high-quality devices on the Internet.

Most devices measure the alcohol content with an accuracy of +/- 0.05 per mil.

How Accurate Are Disposable Breathalyzers?

Disposable breathalyzers also usually measure with an accuracy of +/- 0.05 per mil. If in doubt, pay attention to the value given on the packaging. The downside, as the name suggests, is that this type of breathalyzer is a one-time use only for alcohol test.

Are there breathalyzer apps?

There are accessories for smartphones that supposed to measure the alcohol content in connection with the corresponding apps. However, these measured values ​​are not meaningful.

There are also apps for calculating the alcohol content using various values, such as height, gender and the amount and type of alcohol consumed. These can be quite useful for a first approximation, but for an exact value you need a real breathalyzer.