Taimoor Rana is seasoned criminal defense attorney specializing in DUI related cases. He shares his expert legal opinion here « How Blood Tests Work in DUI and DWI Cases
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- Once the police asks you to pull over for DUI or DWI, you will be required to give a breath test or you may end up taking a blood test to measure the blood alcohol content (BAC) in your body. The BAC level a crucial piece of evidence that the prosecution will use in proving that you were driving drunk.
Thus it is important to understand what this test measures, how it is administered and what can affect the results.
There are devices that have now been placed in police cars, known as breath testing equipment, that measure breath alcohol levels in suspected drunk drivers. But in case you have been accused of DUI or DWI and believe that the breath analysis is not accurate, you should request a blood test.
But it is important to remember that a blood alcohol test shows the amount of alcohol in the blood at the time the sample is taken which can be some time later and if you have been drinking, your blood alcohol level will go up over time and will be at its highest about one hour after you have consumed alcohol. Typically, the body is able to break down about one drink per hour.
Blood alcohol tests are generally performed to check for intoxication. If a police officer observes you acting confused, unsteady or driving erratically, a blood alcohol test is used to show the amount of alcohol in your system. A medical professional administers this blood test at a health care facility.
Howsoever, there are some factors that can cause the results of your test to vary. If your skin was cleaned with alcohol before the needle was inserted, the results may not be useful. Also, if you have high blood ketones, which can result from diabetic ketoacidosis, the test may not accurately reflect your blood alcohol content. Cough medicines or herbal supplements that contain alcohol may also lead to an inaccurate BAC reading.
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