Drunk driving is a serious offense, and in recent years, the use of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle has been severely restricted. Many drivers have trouble knowing whether they are in violation of the law, which has led to the popularity of personal breathalyzer devices.
A personal, portable breathalyzer works similarly to the official breath alcohol analyzer units used by police all over the world. A user breathes into the device for several seconds, and a reading is relayed back which gives the approximate blood alcohol content (BAC) of the user, who then has an accurate idea of his or her level of inebriation. Some courts even require drivers with records to carry portable breathalyzers, or build such units into driver's vehicles. A vehicle equipped with a breathalyzer device will not start unless the driver's BAC is under the legal limit.
However, the features, usability, and accuracy of alcohol analysis machines vary greatly. Different models might analyze alcohol in a user's breath entirely differently, which makes it important to use each machine correctly according to its operating instructions.
This might involve learning to use a personal breath alcohol analyzer differently than a police-issue analyzer. While police-issued analyzers have removable mouthpieces, personal analyzers usually do not,
and their accuracy varies far more than the units that police use. They also need to be calibrated often to avoid giving a false positive. In some cases, over-the-counter face creams, mints, and other products might cause a false positive as well. Personal analysis machines often come with a long list of dos and don'ts which should be read carefully before relying on a reading.
The shapes and sizes of personal breath analysis machines also vary. There are cell phone and keychain sized analyzers, analyzers that attach to an electronic device for power, and sleek handheld professional units, all of which are available to individual users. Some give a full BAC reading, while others simply let the user know if he or she is inebriated. Most use a BAC of .08 as a baseline.
Of course, the best course of action when drinking is to avoid driving at all, but when this is not possible, a personal breathalyzer can help a driver assess whether operating a vehicle is a good idea. Every driver should be careful to look into the accuracy of such a device before operating one, and should know all of the available features and drawbacks to a breath analyzer before using one.
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