How Long Does Alcohol Stay on Your Breath?
The Georgia Supreme Court recently ruled that refusing to take a breathalyzer test will no longer be used to try you if you are suspected of being drunk while driving.
In order to prosecute driving under the influence (DUI) cases, police officers and prosecutors have to use more evidence (dashboard video, blood tests, field sobriety tests, etc.).
Should you agree to take a breathalyzer test if a police officer asks you to?
Breathalyzer tests are unreliable for several reasons. Among them are operator error and the fact that each individual's breath remains different for different lengths of time after drinking. Therefore, there is no real reason to take a breathalyzer test.In Georgia, DUI penalties are some of the harshest in the country, so it's in your best interests to make the right decision if you are suspected of drunk driving.
How Long Does The Alcohol Stay on Your Breath After You Drink It?
If you drink more than your liver is able to process, you may experience a "sweet" smell on your breath. Within 30 seconds of entering your body, alcohol enters your bloodstream.Alcohol flows through your bloodstream and is smelt on your breath by your lungs. In the lungs, small air sacs trap some of the alcohol as the blood circulates.
You should be aware that alcohol burns off from your system at about 0.015 grams per hour. At that rate, a person with a 0.16 breath alcohol content (BAC) would metabolize the alcohol out of their body in roughly ten hours.
What Is the Effect of One Beer on Your Breath?
A standard drink, including one beer, contains about 14 grams of alcohol on average. That puts an average person's BAC at 0.02.After about one hour, your BAC should be close to zero if you have not consumed any other alcoholic beverages.
Problems arise when you consume more than one drink during that time. When a person drinks three or four drinks, their blood alcohol level will reach 0.08, and it will take about five hours for it to drop to zero.
You might still have a high BAC in the morning if you drink that much just before you go to bed - a real problem if you have to drive.
Do Breathalyzers Detect Alcohol for Long?
An alcohol breathalyzer should be able to detect alcohol within 15 minutes of your first drink. As long as alcohol is still present in your system, the police officer should be able to detect alcohol.Approximately 10 percent of the alcohol in your body will leave your body through your sweat, urine, and breath. Approximately 90 percent of the alcohol will be metabolized into your body.
Every hour that you wait means your BAC will decline by 0.015 because our burn rate formula is 0.015. After two hours, a breathalyzer device shouldn't detect alcohol in your system if your BAC is 0.030.
However, factors such as body temperature, acid reflux, medications, and other variables can interfere with an accurate breathalyzer reading.
Is There a Way to Get Rid of Alcohol Breath for a Breathalyzer?
The best way to reduce the strength of alcohol on your breath is through hydration with non-alcoholic beverages. When you drink water, you weaken the effect of alcohol on your body and give it more time to metabolize.Among the other suggestions are:
• Take your drinks slowly rather than gulping them down
• Limit your drink consumption to one per hour
• Don't participate in drinking games
• Try to stay active
• Keeping track of your alcohol consumption will be easier if you stick with standard drink sizes (12 ounces for beer, five ounces for wine, and 1.5 ounces for spirits).
Eating while drinking also makes it easier to monitor your intake. Consuming alcohol on an empty stomach is never a good idea. If you drink alcohol while eating, the alcohol will take longer to enter your bloodstream.
Should I Take a Breath Test if I am Asked To?
You shouldn't have any problems performing a breath alcohol test as long as you've followed all the steps to ensure you don't have any alcohol on your breath or in your system. Be sure to wait until your blood alcohol level has dropped before you drive. The presence of alcohol in the blood can generally be detected up to 12 hours after consumption.If you follow these steps, you may avoid being convicted of DUI:
• Do not speak, and give only your name and address
• Take the breathalyzer test
• Request an independent blood alcohol test (this will cost you, but it can help protect your rights)
• Request an attorney after you've taken the officer's test.
You can avoid answering questions that might lead to your incrimination by hiring an experienced DUI lawyer. Furthermore, they will be able to defend you if you have been charged with a DUI or DWI. After drinking, wear a breathalyzer to ensure you are not impaired.
We have already explained the difference between DUI and DWI, so if you don't know it, take a look at the following link - https://www.legalserviceslink.com/blog/the-difference-between-dui-and-dwi.
Conclusion
You can't be prosecuted in Georgia if you refuse to take a breathalyzer test, so there's really no point in taking one.Instead, remain calm and respectful if you're pulled over by a police officer in Georgia on suspicion of DUI. It is also important to refuse field sobriety testing in addition to a breathalyzer test.
Call a DUI attorney who can begin working on your defense as soon as you're charged, and don't say anything to the police. In situations involving a DUI-related incident, understanding how long alcohol remains on your breath is essential. For those who find themselves in such circumstances, consulting with a car accident lawyer can provide valuable guidance, especially when navigating the legal implications that may arise.
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Posted - 06/13/2022
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