Breathalyzer Tests and Breathing

A breath test for blood alcohol results can be affected by the breathing of the DUI suspect immediately before testing. This may increase the reading on the breathalyser with noticeable effects. Scientists in Sweden investigated this strange effect of symptoms of DUI and came to some interesting conclusions. They gave groups of men alcohol in doses considered moderate and measured their alcohol levels using a breathalyzer. They then had the men vary their breathing for the tests like the field sobriety test.

The scientists concluded that if the men held their breath for 30 seconds before exhaling had the alcohol increase in concentration by 15.7%. If, for 20 seconds, the subjects breathed in and out rapidly, then exhaled, the level of blood alcohol dropped 10.6%. It appeared that shallow nose breathing increased BAC by 7.3%, and slow mouth breathing caused a 2% increase. Choosing the right Orange County DUI attorneys such as our DUI defense lawyers is the first step.

It appears that the more time the air in the mouth spends contacting the mucous membranes in the lungs and throat, the more ethanol becomes concentrated in the breath. Scientists concluded that a personís breathing technique should be considered an influence on breathalyzer test results. The longer the breath was held and contacted the mucous membranes, the higher the concentrations of ethanol in the exhalation.

Some scientists have even come to the conclusion that changing the technique of breathing within guidelines that are normally required can change a subjectís BAC between 50 to 150% of the actual BAC. This is attributed to the warming and cooling of the breath from diverging from normal breathing patterns. All of this can be explained by looking at the DUI detainee breathing in cool room temperature air. This air lowers the temperature of the airways and expels some of the alcohol.

As the suspect continues to breathe in and out, the airways get warmer and more of the alcohol is evaporated at the surface of the airways. Therefore, the more a suspect holds his or her breath, the more the last portion of the suspectís breath obtains more alcohol and results in a false reading, abnormally high. The bottom line of the research is that breathalyzer tests are, by their nature unreliable. Scientists have concluded that no breath test analyzer can take a breath sample and not have it change.

Think about it, you have to either breathe fast or hold your breath just before giving a sample. This, according to scientists, will change your BAC reading on a Breathalyzer. Scientifically speaking, the manner in which the sample is collected leads to inherently unreliable results. Since there is no control over the amount of breath collected, the test is discriminatory when it comes to people who breathe deeper than others before exhaling. Thus, the test is inaccurate.

You probably didnít know this when you agreed to give a breath sample. This is why you need to contact the Orange County DUI Defenders as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it is to refute the evidence against you. Donít delay, get the team at the Orange County DUI Defenders on your side now. Call 1-888-400-9721 now and get the best possible defense on your side. We are also renowned Los Angeles personal injury lawyers.