Blood

[ladyluck193]

We live in the State of Confusion in MI....
Anyone ever heard of a bloody mouth giving a false or inaccurate breathalyzer test result?
Thanks....

 

[ptlmejo]

The intoxilyzers take their sample from alveolar breath.

I suppose it is possible that bleeding in the mouth could lead to "mouth alcohol" but I seriously doubt it.

Why do you ask?

 

[ladyluck193]

I ask because a friend just got popped for a DUI, and his attorney wants to use a defense based on elevated alcohol levels due to bleeding in the defendant's mouth. Defendant claims he'd had just been in a fight with his girlfriend, and she sucker punched him in the 'ole kisser. Don't know much about it, and can't find much in the research area. Guess they're trying to find an expert witness in the field.

 

[CdwJava]

Sounds like someone is trying to suck up your friend's money. Blood in the mouth will have nothing to do with the deep lung air that the vast majority of breath devices read.

But, experts cost money, and preparing their testimony means billable hours! Someone's gonna do well.

Carl

 

[LittleNapolean]

"How to drink and drive and get away with it"

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/issues/2004-09-02/feature.html/1/index.html

Nothing about blood in the mouth, shouldn't be that hard to set up some experiments. MADD will be happy to send some volunteers to pop your buddy in the mouth until he's bleeding profusely then test him on the breathalyzer (before and after he's been mauled).

 

[CdwJava]

How nice. Yet another article that doesn't quite tell the whole story ... or the whole truth.

But, even the media is allowed their opinions.

Carl

 

[LittleNapolean]

SIMULATION OF THE EFFECT OF BLOOD IN THE MOUTH ON BREATH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS OF DRINKING SUBJECTS

http://www.csfs.ca/journal/journ02.htm

 

[CdwJava]

Cool ...

"We conclude that blood in the mouth does not lead to an overestimation of the breath alcohol concentration of drinking subjects."

So at least the Canadians concluded that blood in the mouth has no real effect.

Carl

 

[ladyluck193]

Thanks all. Your responses provided interesting reading...