Virginia Beach Breathalyzer Test: The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

By Christopher Beachum

When an officer pulls over a suspected DUI. There is specific routines that the officer must go through to ensure their suspicions. Two of them are the field sobriety test and the breathalyzer test. Complying to either test wither you fail or not will be your first step into beating either test. People seem to think that it is harder to beat the breathalyzer test, but like all test there is a way to "pass".

The breathalyzer test is used to determine your BAC (blood alcohol content) on the go, however the term/machine is rather outdated. The newest model that most police will use is the Intoxilyzer 5000.

The officer will ask the driver to blow into a disposable tube attached to the machine. After a few seconds the officer will ask the driver to stop blowing and within seconds the machine will show the results of the test.

This test can be given at any time from at the scene to at a detainment center if found necessary. The breathalyzer is one of three methods to find out your BAC. Blood and urine test are the other two. Frankly, the breathalyzer test is by far the most inaccurate.

In Virginia to be arrested for a DUI you must score a BAC level of at least .08 or above. Even being close to this number may get you arrested for probable cause on suspicion of a DUI. Unfortunate for us Virginia Beach residents, we have the most stringent laws against DUI's in the country. If you are a passenger of a person arrested for a DUI and you also score above a .08 on the test you may be also arrested for a DUI.

The next myth is usually once you fail the test you are already convicted. Not true, remember that the breathalyzer test is the most inaccurate test out of the three. An experienced Virginia Beach DUI attorney can help prevent a conviction in most cases. Make sure your attorney knows the machine that you were tested with in and out. Any flaw in the machine or how the test was administered will mean a slap on the wrist or even better a dismissed case.

Be sure to read my Virginia Beach DUI Defense Guide. The guide covers every step from seeing the lights turn on to stepping into the court room. Even if you think it wont happen to you, being armed with the knowledge may help you or a loved one in the future.
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