A breathalyzer is a small device that the police can use when they stop drivers under suspicion of drunk driving. The device can test the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC), which is the amount of alcohol that can be found in the body. This test is often preferred over urine and blood chemical tests because drivers don’t have to relocate to do it.
Many people believe that breath tests can be tricked. However, there’s often no scientific evidence behind these beliefs. If you’re asked to do a breath test, it can help to avoid the following myths:
Drinking coffee before driving
Many people will try to drink coffee after drinking alcohol and before driving. It’s rumored that the coffee will reduce the amount of alcohol tested. However, alcohol is absorbed into the body and can’t be removed or replaced by drinking coffee.
Using mints to hide the smell of alcohol
Before a breath test is administered, drivers may try to use a breath mint, gum or mouthwash to hide the smell of alcohol. However, these products often contain trace amounts of alcohol. As a result, the driver may unknowingly raise a BAC reading and fail the test.
Sucking on a penny
One of the most common rumors circulating breath tests is that they can be tricked by sucking on a penny. It’s believed that pennies can either reduce the BAC reading or make the reading so big that it can’t be reputable evidence. However, a penny can’t do anything to a breath test.
Believing any of these myths can lead to drunk driving charges. If a driver believes they were wrongly charged for drunk driving, they may need to reach out for legal help for their DUI.