During a traffic stop, the police may ask the driver questions and to take field sobriety tests. These are just two of the ways law enforcement can gather evidence to hold against a driver who is suspected of drunk driving. The third way is chemical sobriety tests.
Chemical sobriety tests evaluate a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC), which is the amount of alcohol the driver has in their body. There are several things drivers should know about chemical sobriety tests, including:
What are the 3 types of chemical sobriety tests?
There are three types of chemical sobriety tests: breath, blood and urine. Breath tests are commonly used because they can be administered during traffic stops. Urine and blood tests often require drivers to go to a hospital or police station to take them.
Are chemical sobriety tests accurate?
Blood tests are often the most accurate at reading a person’s BAC levels. Across each of these tests, there may be issues that lead to inaccurate BAC readings. This could happen because of lab errors, machine issues or other factors. The accuracy of chemical sobriety tests is frequently challenged during a criminal trial.
Can you trick chemical sobriety tests?
There are many myths about chemical sobriety tests, such as sucking on a penny or drinking coffee before taking a breath test. These myths frequently do not work. If a driver does not want to take a chemical sobriety test, they could refuse. However, the driver may face penalties if they refuse a post-arrest chemical sobriety test under implied consent laws.
Learning more about chemical sobriety tests can protect people from serious criminal charges. Drivers can reach out for legal guidance on a defense strategy against drunk driving charges.
