How New Technology is Changing the Face of DUI Testing

Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol is a serious offense, and in recent years DUI testing has become more sophisticated and accurate. With new technology being developed every day, DUI testing is becoming even more reliable. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how new technology is changing the face of DUI testing and what implications it could have for those charged with drunk driving offenses as well as their lawyers. We will also examine some of the legal issues that arise when using these newer technologies in court cases.

So, if you are facing a DUI charge or know someone who is, read on to learn about how new technology might be able to help your case!

Call 317-636-7514 to Speak With a DUI Attorney in Indianapolis Indiana.
Call 317-636-7514 to Speak With a DUI Attorney in Indianapolis Indiana.

The Evolution of Alcohol Testing Technology

Sobriety Field Tests

Let’s start with the old fashioned ways of testing suspected drunk drivers: field sobriety testing. Law enforcement has a powerful tool in sobriety field tests to help protect citizens from drunk drivers. These standardized tests can be conducted during routine traffic stops or as part of an officer’s investigation into possible impairment caused by drugs or alcohol. They involve tasks and activities designed to evaluate physical coordination, judgment, and sobriety. Some sobriety tests involve balance exercises like the one-leg stand, while others involve finger dexterity and responses to simple commands. When administered properly, sobriety field tests are invaluable for evaluating whether a driver is fit to drive and ensuring roads are safe from the dangers associated with drunk driving.

Breathalyzers

One of the biggest changes that has been made to DUI testing is the introduction of breathalyzers. These are used by law enforcement officers to measure a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC). The more sophisticated devices can even detect trace amounts of alcohol, meaning that even if a driver thinks they haven’t had anything to drink, they could still be over the legal limit. This is a major shift from traditional methods of testing, which often rely on loose estimations and subjective opinions.

Blood Testing

Another major change in DUI testing technology has been the introduction of blood tests. These are much more accurate than breathalyzers and can detect even tiny amounts of alcohol or drugs in a person’s system. This creates a much more reliable method of testing, as well as giving law enforcement officers the ability to have a record of a driver’s BAC at the time of their arrest.

Sobriety Checkpoints

Finally, there is the issue of sobriety checkpoints. These are being increasingly used across the country to help reduce drunk driving and have been largely successful. However, there are legal issues that arise when using sobriety checkpoints due to the fact that they may infringe on a driver’s privacy rights. For this reason, DUI lawyers need to be aware of these legal considerations in order to ensure their clients’ constitutional rights are being respected.

Talk to a Qualified Drunk Driving Attorney in Indianapolis ASAP

Overall, it is clear that new technology is changing the face of DUI testing. With more accurate devices and legal considerations in place, it is important for attorneys to stay up-to-date on the latest developments so that they can provide quality service to their clients. If you or someone you know has been charged with a DUI offense, it’s critical to speak to a qualified Indianapolis DUI lawyer as soon as possible. Doing so can make all the difference in your case and help ensure that you get the best possible outcome.

Furthermore, by staying informed about the latest developments in DUI testing technology, you can rest assured that any legal issues arising from the use of these technologies will be addressed properly by an experienced lawyer. With the right DUI attorney, you can be sure that your rights are being respected and that you have access to the best legal representation available. Remember, when it comes to DUI testing technology, knowledge is power!

Refused a chemical test or arrested for DUI in Indiana? Don’t wait a day longer to get started on your DUI defense. Contact Attorney David E. Lewis at 317-636-7514 right away to safeguard your rights and secure your future after being arrested for a DUI in Indianapolis. Our law firm will tenaciously dispute all elements of the case against you, including any testing results in order to help achieve an improved result in court.

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Are Breathalyzers Reliable at Proving Intoxication?

Breath testing has been the most common method of investigating and confirming a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Law enforcement and similar authorities typically use handheld electronic devices known as breathalyzers to test an individual’s breath and obtain a BAC reading. But are these breath testing devices actually reliable? Are they accurate? Do they really prove intoxication?

Continue reading to learn more about breath testing and breathalyzers, including what to do if you believe you have been wrongly arrested after failing a breathalyzer test in Indiana.

DUI Defense Lawyer Indianapolis Indiana 317-636-7514
DUI Defense Lawyer Indianapolis Indiana 317-636-7514

Breathalyzer Testing

Breathalyzers are science-based electronic devices that are designed to read and compute blood alcohol levels based on breath. There are different types of breathalyzers. Some are designed with fuel cells that generate an electric current, while others use infrared light or chemical reactions.

The average person has no idea how these scientific electronic devices work, so many people tend to blindly trust whatever reveals. But like all manufactured commodities, especially electronic ones, design flaws and happen. In such a case, breathalyzers might incorrectly or inaccurately process the blood alcohol concentration in a person’s breath.

Breathalyzer Test Reliability

So, how reliable are these breathalyzers? Possibly not so much, at least not all the time. According to a post in the New York Times, thousands of people have been arrested based on flawed breath testing results over the years, and courts across the country have thrown out more than 50,000 tests.

As most fragile computer-based electronic devices go, breathalyzers require routine maintenance and care, including precise calibration. Not only must these devices be set up properly, but they must also be used correctly and by a certified operator. And the unfortunate truth is that the standards for proper breathalyzer usage and maintenance are not highly regulated.

Most law enforcement agencies are not monitored on how well they take care of or calibrate their BAC-measuring machines, how well they train their staff to use them, and how well they store their data. With all of these factors at play, there are many variables that can cause breathalyzers to compute inaccurately, and therefore, give unreliable BAC test results.

Get Yourself a Lawyer After Failing a Breath Test

Unfortunately, most law enforcement officials will take whatever reading the breathalyzer gives them and use it as just cause to arrest a person for public intoxication or drunk driving. For this reason, it is important to obtain professional and private criminal defense legal representation to fight your criminal charges. Good criminal defense attorneys have the resources, knowledge, and skills to reduce your charges or dismissed them entirely based on an unjust arrest.

Are you ready to preserve your freedom by getting started on your defense now? Contact Attorney David E. Lewis at 317-636-7514 for the best chance at reducing or dismissing your public intoxication or DUI charges in Indianapolis, Indiana. We represent clients all throughout the state of Indiana.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Police Breathalyzers

If you have ever been administered a breathalyzer test, you are familiar with how it works. Simply blow into the tube until you hear the beep. Then after a minute, a reading will appear. If a person is over the legal limit for alcohol, they will be arrested and detained for intoxicated driving. If they are not over the legal limit, they are generally issued a warning, or the police officer may choose to investigate further. Either way, it is important to know what a breathalyzer is and its purpose in law enforcement. Many people have questions about chemical tests, understandably, and are curious to find the right answers.

Continue reading to review some of the most frequently asked questions about breathalyzer testing, and who to trust for DUI criminal defense in Indiana.

DUI Lawyers Indianapolis Indiana 317-636-7514
DUI Lawyers Indianapolis Indiana 317-636-7514

Indiana Breathalyzer Testing FAQS

What is a Chemical Breath Test and What are They Used For?

If you are a licensed driver, you should be aware of Indiana DUI laws. When a person is pulled over for suspicion of intoxicated driving, one of the first things a police officer will administer is a chemical test, also known as a breath test. And these tests are implemented with a device called a breathalyzer.

Although they are likely to perform field sobriety tests as well, it is the breathalyzer that truly defines a driver’s toxicity levels, which is why they are used so predominantly in the force. In fact, the Indiana legislature has an entire administrative code (260 IAC 2-1) section drafted specifically for chemical testing. It addresses everything from how they are certified and how they should be administered, to who can administer them and more.

What are the Legal Limits for Alcohol and Driving in Indiana?

There are three specific limits to alcohol levels in the system when operating a motor vehicle, but one of them is not legal at all. For minors, a driver is considered legally intoxicated if they test over 0.02% blood alcohol level. If they test below this number, they are still breaking the law since they are not old enough to drink. But they cannot be charged with a DUI since they did not blow over the 0.02% limit. As for adults, the legal limit is 0.08% and under, and for commercial drivers, the limit is 0.04 percent.

Who Can Order and Administer a Breathalyzer Test?

Although as a driver under investigation for drunk driving, you can certainly request a breath test over a field sobriety test, but this does not mean the officer will always oblige. The only authority that is allowed to order and administer a chemical test is a police officer or someone employed by the police academy.

How are Qualified Authorities Trained in Breath Testing?

In order for officers and other authoritative figures to be certified in breath and chemical testing, they must pass a training program that covers several topics. Topics include the legal aspects of breath testing, the pharmacology and toxicology of ethanol, the operation, maintenance, and theory of breath testing equipment, and the ethanol-water and ethanol-gas industry standards for using chemical testing instruments. Authorities must be re-certified every two years and maintain good-standing employment.

Who Should You Talk to About Your Breathalyzer Rights?

Contact an experienced and trusted Indiana criminal defense attorney in your city for accurate information regarding your rights under law enforcement detainment. If your breathalyzer was administered improperly or unjustly, it could be thrown out of trial. A licensed criminal lawyer can help you protect your rights and your freedoms after being pulled over for drunk driving in Indiana.

Are you facing OWI charges in Indiana and wish to dismiss or reduce them? Contact Attorney David E. Lewis at 317-636-7514 to speak with a skilled and aggressive DUI defense lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Act fast so that you may avoid the maximum penalties for your charges!

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Top Myths About Breathalyzer Tests

Whether it is a breathalyzer test or an intoxilyzer test, law enforcement knows that there is no way you can trick a breath-testing device. However, many drinkers mistakenly beg to disagree. There are several myths circulating through society about breathalyzer testing and how to pass a breath test after drinking alcohol; but believing these myths can and will get a person in trouble.

Continue reading to learn the top myths about breathalyzer tests, and how to protect yourself if you were recently charged with A DUI or OWI in Indiana.

Indiana DUI Criminal Defense 317-636-7514
Indiana DUI Criminal Defense 317-636-7514

Breathalyzer Testing Myths and Misconceptions

Sucking on a Penny

For many decades now there has been a rumor going around suggesting that if you suck on a penny, you can pass a breathalyzer test. But this is very false. Furthermore, coins are incredibly unsanitary, so you should never put them in your mouth. Besides, if a police officer catches you with a penny in your mouth before they administer their breath test, it can be used against you by the prosecutor who may suggest that you knew you are guilty and were trying to conceal your intoxication.

Refusing a Breath Test

Many people believe that if you refuse a breathalyzer, law enforcement has no way to retrieve blood alcohol content (BAC) evidence against you, and therefore, cannot charge you for an intoxication offense. Not only is this completely untrue but refusing a breathalyzer when requested by law enforcement is a separate offense in itself and will immediately suspend your driver’s license for six months without any questions. Here in Indiana, when you register your vehicle, you automatically consent to breathalyzer testing, and agreed to driver’s license suspension in the event that you refuse one.

Drinking Vodka

There is a rumor that suggests that if you drink vodka over all other alcoholic beverages, the smell cannot be detected on your breath by law enforcement if you are ever pulled over or stopped for questioning. But this rumor is untrue as well. Any sort of liquor will have a distinct scent on a person’s breath, and when you’ve been drinking you become nose blind to the smell. Just keep in mind that officers are sober, which means they have a heightened sense of smell for things like liquor and marijuana.

Were you recently arrested for an intoxication offense in Indiana? Contact the Law Office of David E. Lewis at 317-636-7514 for aggressive and skilled DUI criminal defense in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our teams work around the clock to reduce or dismiss your DUI penalties and avoid jail!

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