DUI: Breathalyzer Tests

If a police officer pulls you over on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the officer will probably ask you to perform a breath, blood or urine test to determine if your blood alcohol level is above the legal limit of 0.08%. If you are a licensed driver in the state of Florida, you are legally required to submit to this test under state law. Refusing one of these tests will result in significant consequences and it is always wise to submit to the police officer's request.

Breathalyzer machines are used throughout the state by law enforcement officers to determine the blood alcohol content of driver's by a breath test. However, these tests are not always foolproof and they have been successfully challenged by DUI attorneys in the past. Parks & Braxton, PA has the insight and legal knowledge to challenge your breathalyzer results and fight for your rights in court.

About the Science Behind Breath Tests

"Breathalyzer" is actually just a brand name of breath machines. They work by measuring the ethanol on a person's breath. When you drink alcohol, there are traces of ethanol that are left on your breath. The more ethanol there is present, the higher your blood alcohol level reading will be. These machines convert ethanol to an electrical current. The electrical current is actually what the machine measures. While it is not completely necessary to know the science behind these machines, it can be helpful regarding your defense. For example, because breath machines measure the presence of alcohol on your breath rather than in your blood, it could result in a higher reading if you recently swallowed alcohol. These machines are not always accurate, and it is common to get cases dropped or dismissed if it can be proven that the particular machine in use was defective.

There are several defenses that our firm can bring against your breathalyzer test results and DUI charges. Our firm has consistently obtained favorable results for clients who have been charged with DUI after blowing a very high breath test reading. With our help, you may be able to prove that your test was subject to error. We will thoroughly investigate the method in which the police officer administered the test and the machine itself to determine if your rights were violated or if the machine was improperly calibrated.

Contesting Breath Test Results

Breathalyzer tests can be inversely affected by an improper breath of air, the surrounding external temperature, legal medicinal substances and your body partition ratio. No situation is hopeless, and our firm will fight aggressively so that you can have your DUI charges reduced or dismissed altogether. Our Miami DUI lawyers are dedicated to the art of defending a DUI case, and we have already won thousands of cases.