Should I heed results if I self-test for blood alcohol?
As we have said on previous occasions on this blog, there can be a lot of things that can be wrong with a breath test for blood alcohol content. If the device hasn’t been properly calibrated, it can deliver BAC results that may deserve to be questioned. The officer who administers the test might do it incorrectly, casting doubt on the numbers.
Alcohol enters the bloodstream at different rates for different bodies under different circumstances, so the timing of when the breath test is taken can be important, too. A Tennessee attorney skilled in dealing with drunk driving charges knows what to look for and what options may exist.
Someone who has been convicted of a DUI charge in our state may be quite familiar with the ignition interlock device. This is a tool that courts may require a person to put on their vehicle in connection with a DUI case. A prospective driver has to blow into the device to show they are not alcohol impaired before the engine will start.
In light of the possible dire consequences you can face if you are even charged with DUI, much less convicted, it might make sense to consider whether it isn’t wise to carry a personal breath tester on you all the time. They are available to the general consumer and a check online shows that they don’t have to be expensive.
One particular advantage of having one of these units separate from a vehicle is that it can allow you to gauge whether you should even get behind the wheel at all if you’ve been drinking. The question that’s then worth asking is whether the device can be trusted to give you an accurate reading?
The answer, according to Webmd.com, is that it probably can. Of course, it depends on you making sure it’s calibrated it correctly and that you’re using it according to the instructions. The reading may not be dead on, but the estimate should be enough to alert you to whether you would risk being arrested if a police officer stopped you.
An ounce of prevention may be worth a great deal more than a pound of cure if it means avoiding trouble. But even if you are arrested and face charges, be aware that you have rights that deserve protection with the help of a lawyer.