Discover how long breathalyzers can detect alcohol. It’s easy to know. I. Calculating Detection Time. Basically, two things determine how long a breathalyzer can detect alcohol. One is person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level. The other is how long ago they drank. (“Breathalyzer” is really a brand name of an alcohol breath detector. Other names …
Category: Alcohol Testing
Accuracy of Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs): Discover the Truth
Ignition interlock devices (IIDs) are alcohol breath testers attached to other equipment in a motor vehicle. As such, they are subject to the various sources of error that plague other breath testers. Makers typically gloss over the inadequacies of the machines they sell. They’re frequently guilty of making claims not verified by independent researchers. So …
Alcohol Proof and Alcohol by Volume: Definitions and Explanations
Alcohol proof. What is it? Is it different in different countries? How did it get that name? You’ve come to the right place for answers. I. Gunpowder Test So what’s alcohol proof? In the early 1700s, people measured the alcohol content of distilled beverages by using gunpowsder. That is, they would “prove” the beverage acceptable. …
Hand Sanitizers Can Cause Falsely High Breathalyzer Results
Hand sanitizers can cause breathalyzer results to give falsely high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) readings. Thus people who administer breathalyzer tests can accidentally raise BAC readings if they use hand sanitizers. This can be a serious problem, especially in hospital. In most medical settings, people generally use hand sanitizers many times a day. These liquids …
DWI and DUI Facts and Fiction: Urban Myths
Many myths surround the subject of DWI and DUI.* Scientific information and evidence is used here to correct some of those myths. It’s fun to discover DWI and DUI facts and fiction. Share them with your family and friends! Myth: Sucking on pennies will lower a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reading. Fact: Sucking on …
Heart Attack Survival Increased by Drinking Alcohol
Research shows that drinking alcohol improves heart attack survival. This is true of drinking both before and after a heart attack. This isn’t surprising. Drinking alcohol in moderation improves heart health. It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This includes heart attacks. That is, myocardial infarctions (MI) or acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). Some Studies Here are …
Alcohol Exclusion Laws and DWI/DUI Traffic Crashes
I. Background Alcohol exclusion laws were passed in the late 1940s. They were to discourage people from abusing alcohol. This saves insurance companies money. That’s because they can deny alcohol-related medical claims. These claims could include traffic-related or any other alcohol-related injury. But there was great hope that they would reduce drunk driving.(1) The logic …
Auto-Brewery Syndrome: Fail a Breathalyzer without Drinking!
Endogenous alcohol is ethanol that is produced naturally in all living humans. The resulting blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is generally low. However, auto-brewery syndrome is associated with very high BACs. It occurs after eating meals rich in carbohydrates. Although everyone has endogenous alcohol in their bloodstream, auto-brewery syndrome is rare. Its origin is in the …
How Long Can Hair Alcohol Tests Detect Drinking?
Many people want to know how long hair alcohol tests can identify alcohol consumption. They can detect it much longer than either a breathalyzer or a saliva test. But their precision is low. In addition, their reliability and validity are very poor. I. Hair Alcohol Tests There are two types of hair alcohol tests. One …
Failed Field Sobriety Test Happens to Sober Drivers Often
It’s best to avoid taking a field sobriety test. That’s because a third or more of sober people fail it. And that’s under ideal conditions. You can be completely sober and easily have a failed field sobriety test. This means an arrest for DWI or DUI. The arrest usually occurs before you can clear yourself …