Fooling the Georgia Breathalyzer Test
You may have heard that if you suck on a handful of pennies when you are pulled over for a driving under the influence (DUI) offense, you can fool the breathalyzer test. While this is an urban legend, the way you breathe can in fact go a long way in fooling the Georgia breathalyzer test—for better or worse.
Several scientific studies have been conducted in order to learn how your breathing affects the results of your breath test. In one study, the subjects consumed a moderate amount of alcohol before submitting a breath sample. When the subjects were asked to hold their breath for 30 seconds before blowing into the breathalyzer, their blood alcohol content (BAC) increased almost 16%; however, hyperventilating for 20 seconds before the test decreased the BAC by approximately 11%. Subjects that breathed through their nose for five minutes increased their BAC by 7% and those who tested after exhaling for 20 seconds increased their BAC by 2%.
Alcohol content is the highest during the last part of the breath. Police officers know this, which is why they will sometimes tell a DUI suspect to blow harder into the device or to blow longer than is necessary—in essence, “fooling” the Georgia breath test in order to obtain evidence against you.
Fortunately, most skilled DUI lawyers are familiar with how breath affects breathalyzer results. That is why you should speak with an experienced defense lawyer if you have been arrested for a DUI in Georgia, even if you failed it. Your lawyer can investigate the circumstances of your test to determine if improper administration led to inflated results.
Failing a breath test can lead to much more than criminal charges. The Department of Driver Services can impose an administrative license suspension, taking away your driving privileges. A DUI lawyer can help you submit an appeal letter in order to contest this license suspension.
Fooling the Georgia Breathalyzer test is infringing upon your rights by police, and our law firm can help. Please submit your information online today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
