Alabama Breathalyzer Test

In Alabama, most drivers who are charged with driving under the influence (DUI) are arrested after failing a breath test, or breathalyzer. As the name suggests, an Alabama breathalyzer test works by analyzing the amount of alcohol present in a person’s breath. But how can a person’s breath prove he or she is intoxicated? The answer to that question has a lot to do with blood alcohol concentration.

Any alcohol you drink must be absorbed in your bloodstream in order for your body to process it. Over time, the amount of alcohol present in your bloodstream can increase or decrease, depending on your drinking habits—in other words, the more you drink, the more alcohol in your bloodstream. The ration of alcohol to blood, in turn, is known as your blood alcohol concentration, or BAC.

From a legal standpoint, any driver who operates a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher is considered intoxicated. Therefore, a breathalyzer test works by analyzing the amount of alcohol present in a person’s mouth. Once it has this information, the device then uses a complex mathematical formula to determine his or her BAC.

However, because the rate at which our bodies absorb alcohol depends on our weight, gender, alcohol tolerance, and other individual factors, the breathalyzer test cannot provide an exact BAC measurement—it simply estimates it by comparing your results with those of the “average person.” 

Unfortunately, if you are one of the many individuals who do not meet the breathalyzer’s definition of average, your test results may be inflated. Likewise, if the officer who performed the test was not properly trained to use the device, your reading may be inaccurate. Your results can even be affected by breath mints, mouthwash, and certain medications.

As you can see, the breathalyzer test is far from perfect. In many cases, you may be able to prove your results were inaccurate and avoid a DUI conviction—but it can be difficult to do this without proper legal guidance.

As a dedicated DUI defense firm, the Whitney B. Polson DUI Defense Office has the experience to help you. Our attorneys know all too well just how unreliable breath tests truly are, and we will use this knowledge to challenge your Alabama breathalyzer test results.

Don’t let one flawed mechanism jeopardize your future—contact attorney Whitney B. Polson and his team to fight your DUI charges. Simply submit your case online for a free, no-obligation evaluation to get started.