Breathalyzers are not always reliable

Posted on September 13, 2015 in Blood Alcohol Tests

Being incriminated by an inaccurate blood alcohol test is something that many drivers worry about. No matter how careful you are, a false result could get you into serious legal trouble and you may be faced with life-changing criminal charges. All you can do is begin to plan your defense and find a way to show that the results shown were incorrect.

This may seem like quite a challenge at first, but there are actually many ways in which a false reading can be gathered. One option that may be worth considering if you are certain that the result is incorrect is to request a further test, such as a blood draw. This could greatly help your case if it shows the initial reading to have been inaccurate.

There is evidence to suggest that the results of Breathalyzer tests are not always as accurate as you might hope. In fact, some studies have demonstrated a variance of as much as 15 percent between the BAC reading given by a breath test and that acquired by conducting a blood draw. Many factors are believed to be able to skew a result, such as poor machine calibration, temperature issues and even design flaws. It is not unknown for courts to throw out the results of breath tests due to a lack of faith in their reliability.

What this means is that there is still hope even if the results of your BAC test were incriminating. It may seem like a lot to take in, but an attorney may be able to support you through the process. He or she can examine the details of the evidence against you and may be able to help you challenge the charges you face. With this guidance, you can work toward ensuring that the court hears things from your point of view and you may even be able to escape conviction altogether.