Breathalyzer Instructions

A breathalyzer is a device used to determine a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The device is used most often by police officers when they pull over motorists they suspect may be driving under the influence of alcohol. The breathalyzer is designed to be portable and easy-to-use, especially in instances when the person's whose breath is being tested is uncooperative or unstable.

Warming Up

• When the breathalyzer is first powered on, it will need a moment to warm up before use. Some models flash the word "Wait" on the screen for approximately 20 seconds or until the unit is at full power. Breath-tester.com indicates that a new breathalyzer or one that has not been used for several weeks may have traces of impurities on the alcohol sensor, which could delay the unit's ability to fully power on. In such a case, Breath-tester.com recommends that the user press the power button several times to clean the sensor.

Testing

• When the unit is properly warmed up, the word "Blow" or a related symbol appears on the screen. A beep sounds, and the screen displays a countdown from 10 to 0, meaning that the breathalyzer is ready to test. The unit is then held near the mouth of the person being tested, and the person blows into the inhaler for approximately five seconds. If the person does not blow while the unit is in test mode, the final BAC reading will come back as 0.000.

Reading Results

• A beep sounds to indicate that the breathalyzer has concluded its testing. Results are displayed on the screen. The unit sounds an alarm if the test results determine a BAC of more than 0.05 percent, which is the level at which most drivers experience impairment.