How To Beat A Breathalyzer Test?

Drinking and driving can lead to accidents that can be fatal. Or even worse, one can end up with permanent disabilities. As a responsible individual, you should always avoid drinking and driving. If you are caught by cops, you will be asked to take a breathalyzer test.

There may be situations when you may have taken just a drink or two. In such cases, you may be just under the mandated limit of alcohol in your blood. You may probably want to play it safe and avoid being fined for drinking and driving. To understand the options, here's how to beat a breathalyzer test.

How breathalyzer works?

Before knowing how to beat a breathalyzer test, it is important to understand how breathalyzer works. A breathalyzer basically measures the alcohol present in the person's breath. Based on that, an estimate can be arrived about the blood alcohol content (BAC). Across most states, alcohol concentration should not be more than 0.08%. It means 8 grams of alcohol in every 100 ml of blood. This limit is lower in some states. For example, BAC limit in Utah is 0.05%.

There is a direct link between amount of alcohol in breath and amount of alcohol in blood. The ratio is around 2,100:1. This is how a breathalyzer is able to calculate BAC. The BAC also reflects how many drinks you have taken. For example, 0.08% will mean around 4-5 drinks taken over a 2-hour period.

How to beat a breathalyzer test?

Depending on the type of device being used, the accuracy of results may vary. There are other factors that can influence breathalyzer test results such as gender, body weight and composition, stomach content, use of other drugs and type of drink. So, if the odds are in your favor, you may get lucky.

To beat a breathalyzer test, one option that can work is to take deep breaths before taking the test. Of course, this must be done without getting the attention of the officer. When you inhale and exhale for few times, it will reduce concentrations of alcohol in your breath. It will not work if you are heavily drunk. But if you are just around the BAC limit, you can probably reduce the alcohol content in your breath by up to 10%.

There are various other techniques suggested for how to beat a breathalyzer test. For example, putting a copper coin in your mouth, smoking, etc. However, none of this will work, as air is coming from your lungs. So, deep breathing or hyperventilating is probably the only way that can be useful to some extent in cheating a breathalyzer test.