Can personal breath tests help prevent drunk driving?
EUGENE, Ore. -- Personal breathalyzer tests let you blow to know your blood alcohol content before you get behind the wheel and run the risk of having to walk a straight line while tapping your head and rubbing your tummy to the "Alphabet Song" sung in reverse for an officer of the law.
So are readings accurate? Or will a false point-o-eight turn into a date with a bus pass and a judge?
According to a 2009 USA Today article, more people are using the devices to test their blood alcohol level before driving.
And there's no shortage of the devices on the market.
But police say personal breathalyzers are not always accurate.
"There's really no control over them," said Trooper Michael Iwai with the Oregon State Polce. "There's not somebody looking at the machine making sure it's calibrated and having it go through a series of tests to make sure they fall within normal range."
Law enforcement agents throughout Oregon use the Intoxilyzer 8000 to test blood alcohol levels.
"These machines are certified through the state and Oregon Administrative Rule," Iwai said. "There are three instruments mentioned in the oar and the 8000 is one of them."
Using Intoxilyzer 8000 in 2009, Oregon State Police arrested 21 duii drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. In 2008, 13 DUII drivers Super Bowl Sunday.
Trooper Iwai said these machines are serviced by technicians and calibrated every 90 days so the results hold up in court.
"I can tell you that there are significant control measures on them because these are scientific in nature," Iwai said.
He said personal breathalyzers should not be used to make decisions about driving.
