Reader’s Question:

I actually have never been charged with DUI here in Alaska but I have been drinking and driving once in a while. I have heard a lot about the tests that are being administered to suspected DUI drivers. What is this breath test and how does the body really reacts to alcohol?

Gerald

Anchorage, AK

You are most likely be asked to submit to a breath analysis test when you are pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI). Understanding the test is very important if you are going to decide whether or not to take it. Refusing to take the test can be used against you in court in the state of Alaska, so make sure you understand how it is used.

First, here’s how the body reacts to alcohol. Alcohol enters the blood stream quickly through the walls of the stomach, rather travelling through the entire digestive system. Bodily fluids dilute the level of the alcohol in the blood, and some alcohol is eliminated through the liver. Whatever alcohol is left in the blood is excreted through urine, sweat and the breath of the drunken individual. The breath analysis test is done in an attempt to measure the blood alcohol content (BAC) of the individual through the breath test.

The breath analysis is done using a machine known as a Breathalyzer which is simple to use. An individual just have to simply breathe into the Breathalyzer, and it will show the police officer the BAC. These results are not perfect, but they are actually an indication of whether or not you are driving with a BAC that is above the legal limit in Alaska. You will be brought in for further testing, including a possible blood or urine BAC test, if you fail the breath test.

Tags: DUI, DUI lawyer