When you face a DUI stop, at first, you are only under suspicion of doing so. Just because they think you might be, doesn’t mean they have enough to arrest you. First, there are a few steps police use to further prove that they have probable cause for giving you a DUI. Those steps come in form of DUI testing protocols. There are a few different methods, from non-invasive to invasive, and some are more reliable than others…
DUI Testing Protocols: Types and Reliability
Field Sobriety Testing
The first of these, and one of the two you’re likely most familiar with, is field sobriety testing. This is when they ask you to stand on one leg, count to thirty, say the alphabet backwards, and jump through hoops to give them a better idea. Ultimately, these tests are hard to pass no matter your condition, so they’ll typically be performed as a means of justifying the breath test…
Breath Tests
Probably the most common type of DWI testing is the breath test. Using a breathalyzer, an officer will ask you to blow into the device. By measuring the alcohol content in your exhaled breath, the device then gives the officer a BAC, or blood alcohol content, reading. If you’re above the legal limit, they will then begin the process of issuing you a DUI and you’ll go back to the station.
Officers prefer this test method because it can give them a BAC estimate right on the side of the road. However, while this test is more reliable than some, it still ins’t 100%. A breathalyzer measures your BAC through breath instead of blood. Therefore factors such as how you breath can affect the reading.
Blood Tests
Unlike the breath test, blood test measure BAC levels directly through your blood sample. While this is the most accurate form of DWI testing, it is also the least convenient. Obviously, an officer cannot draw blood on the side of the road. Therefore, he must get a warrant and take you in for testing. For the most part, he must have probable cause in order to take these steps. So usually, a blood test is one of the last on the list of DWI testing.
Urine Tests
The least common, and least accurate, method of DUI testing protocols is by measuring BAC is through urine testing. By giving a urine sample, laboratories can check the alcohol levels in your body. However, these are typically not reliable, nor are they convenient. So, officers typically steer clear of this method.
When it comes to DUI testing protocols, you do have the right to refuse the tests. But that doesn’t mean you can do so without penalty. So, consider your options before saying no, and understand those penalties. A DUI is difficult business, but losing your license for an unnecessary amount of time is even more difficult.
