The police breathalyzer, whats the basic principle, how does it work?
MILLER: The one that we use here in Georgia has infrared screens to read out the different levels of alcohol. It also filters out stuff that may interfere. The machine will void the test so it won’t give an inaccurate reading. BURKHARDT: How does your breath have alcohol content? MILLER: You’re getting air from the bottom part of your lungs, which is made up of blood and the alcohol gets in there. So you get a reading based on the amount of alcohol in your blood. BURKHARDT: Do consumer versions of the breathalyzer work on the same principles as the police versions? MILLER: Yes, they do. Some of them may not have an infrared screening device or a fuel cell, but they do work on the same principle and that’s where you get into the accuracy question. Don’t take a drink, then two seconds later blow into it because you’re going to have mouth alcohol and that’s abusing the breathalyzer. A good rule of thumb is to wait about 20 minutes from your last drink. BURKHARDT: Don’t most people have a
