Everything You Wanted To Know About Personal Use Breathalyzers
Posted on: 20 September 2017
If you are going to go out for a night of drinking, you might find it useful to use a personal breathalyzer to avoid a DUI. Many people recommend it actually because it can prevent a DUI more easily. If your reading is a certain number, then you know not to get behind the wheel. Here's everything you wanted to know about how this works:
- Cheap Breathalyzers are Questionable: First off, if you are going to invest in a breathalyzer, you should invest in one that provides the most accurate reading possible. Be sure that you read the reviews and never purchase a breathalyzer that is so cheap it seems almost too good to be true because it probably is.
- Get One For Your Smartphone: The benefit of the smartphone breathalyzer apps is that they are affordable and fairly accurate. Just be sure to read the reviews. The other benefit is that you can keep the device right in your pocket without having to carry around a larger device.
- You Need to Wait at an Hour After Drinking: If you test yourself right after drinking your last drink, you are going to have an inaccurate reading because it's going to get higher during this time. This is why it's important to stop drinking at least an hour before you are ready to test yourself and get behind the wheel. Not only will you get a more accurate reading, but you are more likely to be in a better state to drive safely.
- Don't Criminalize Yourself: If you do happen to get pulled over and charged with a DUI, never mention anything to the officer about taking a breathalyzer test yourself. This only criminalizes yourself further because it points to the fact that you have been drinking. You are fully admitting it at this point. It's much better to have a document of your reading with your own device to show to your DUI attorney later. This can possibly be used to help in your case.
- Your Reading Needs to be Significantly Lower Than 0.08: Many people think that once their reading is under 0.08, even if it's 0.07, they are okay to drive. However, it should be significantly lower than this because you can still be charged with a DUI if you were driving unsafely, which is the reason the officer might have pulled you over in the first place. Driving under the influence at all is considered dangerous if you are exhibiting dangerous behavior.
When you know these things about using a personal breathalyzer, you can be better prepared for how to use is responsible in a way that is going to actually help you avoid a DUI. Contact a local DUI attorney for more information or assistance.
Share