Breathalyzer Accuracy in Columbia DUI Cases

While a South Carolina law enforcement division would say that a breath test is reliable, there are many reasons why experienced defense attorneys do not. Professionals often criticize breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases because they are known to create false positives for individuals who have diabetes, blood sugar issues, or work around strong chemicals on a daily basis. A skilled defense attorney can use these facts to help lessen the impact of a BAC reading from a breathalyzer to a jury. Read on to learn more about breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases, as well as how it could affect the outcome of your case today.

Source Code Problems

Because the State Law Enforcement Division of South Carolina does not reveal the exact source code or algorithm for breathalyzers, it is impossible to know whether the data master is 100% accurate in all calibrations. This is a big factor in determining breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases. Just because it may be calibrated to be within an air rate of .08% as the threshold amount, the machine does not know whether the air rate is within an acceptable range. For example, .15% is a very critical point, because any levels above that come with increased penalties. In addition, anyone who has owned an electronic device knows that they can have a lot of glitches over time. Breathalyzers are just as prone to mechanical errors as any other device.

False Positives

Unfortunately, breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases can be altered due to pre-existing conditions within a driver’s body. For example, if someone has false teeth or a body piercing inside of their mouth, alcohol can potentially get trapped within them to grossly skew one’s BAC readings. False positives also occur when individuals work around strong chemicals as a part of their job.

These could include a mechanic, someone who paints houses, or even a stylist at a nail salon. In addition, breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases tends to become skewed when examining the breath of diabetes patients. Because they have higher blood sugar rates, the breathalyzer can potentially read those particles as alcohol on their breath rather than excess sugar.

Calibration Issues

Breathalyzer machines are calibrated at .08, the threshold amount of where it can be inferred that someone is impaired. They are calibrated once every three months by the South Carolina Enforcement Division. However, a professional defense attorney can request maintenance records to review the different logs that the machine produces to check and verify its reliability.

A well-trained attorney will know how to find those problems with the machine and how to spot the errors when the machine does not function correctly. For this reason, it can be significant to retain the assistance of an experienced defense lawyer as soon as possible regarding breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases.

Only a knowledgeable attorney will be able to properly assess the issues involved in breathalyzer accuracy in Columbia DUI cases. If you wish to fight against your test results, contact a dedicated lawyer today for representation.