Why you should consider options besides a breathalyzer in DUI cases
Many times people are arrested on a police officer’s suspicion of drunk driving. The driver might have had only a drink or two but might still lack that feeling of being completely under the influence of alcohol. The next step is for a breathalyzer, blood test, or even a urine test to be taken by the suspected DUI offender. The breathalyzer is the most common choice among presumed drunk drivers. This choice often ruins an person’s chances to prove their innocence. Many pieces of advice should be taken into account when considering which alcohol test to take.
1.) If you are a person who diets often, specifically a low-carb diet, it's best to avoid the breathalyzer altogether. It is recommended to choose another DUI test even if you simply haven’t had much to eat in a few hours. The reason for this is because when someone is on a low-carb diet or hasn’t eaten in awhile, the creation of glucose in the liver is inhibited and their blood sugar level will drop rapidly. This drop in blood sugar causes ketoacidosis which creates a product called acetone. Acetone is very similar to acetaldehyde, which will be read by a breathalyzer as alcohol. Even if you are a completely healthy person who consumed only a few drinks of alcohol, you will experience embellished, fake symptoms of drunk driving.
2.) Using breath spray or mouthwash is another common, but often fatal mistake driver’s make. A driver’s first instinct when they see those flashing lights behind them is to grab their mouthwash in hopes to cover up the smell of alcohol on their breath. However, what many people don’t realize is that the mouthwash they use has 27% alcohol in it and that alcohol can stay in their oral cavity for 20 minutes and will display an inaccurate and abnormally high reading on a breathalyzer.
3.) Smoking cigarettes can cause a noticeable rise in the breathalyzer reading. The lungs of smokers contain greater amounts of a compound called acetaldehyde than the lungs of non-smokers. Acetaldehyde is produced in the liver as a result in the metabolism of alcohol and breathalyzer’s cannot decipher alcohol from acetaldehyde.
4.) An inaccurate reading result from something as simple as burping before taking the breathalyzer. Even if you have acid reflux it is best to request to give a blood sample instead. The reason for this is similar to #2 in that belching and acid reflux can force the alcoholic gases in your stomach into your esophagus, throat, and oral cavity, where again, they will stay for as long as 20 minutes. This causes unusually high and inaccurate readings.
5.) Diabetics are plagued with low blood sugar levels every day. These people should always avoid the breath test for the same reasons as anyone who is on a low-carb diet or hasn’t eaten in awhile. The low-blood sugar creates a false reading of acetaldehyde, not alcohol. Even worse, diabetics who have low-blood sugar almost always experience symptoms of lightheadedness, faintness, lack of coordination, blurry vision, and slurred speech; all of which are symptoms that a police officer might deem as intoxication.
San Francisco and Oakland DUI lawyers and attorneys
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