Blood Alcohol Tests

It is 1 a.m. at the station, and the breath test machine just printed a number above 0.08%. You had a few beers on Shem Creek hours earlier, and the reading feels wrong. For many drivers, that number puts a job, a paycheck and a clean record on the line. South...

When a DUI breath test prints a high number, your thoughts can jump straight to your license, job or even jail. Yet the number does not appear in isolation. South Carolina requires a 20-minute waiting period before officers collect a breath sample, and what happens...

A breathalyzer is a device that law enforcement officers use to test a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) during traffic stops. Many believe that there are ways to beat this test, but these are mere myths. Here are four common misconceptions about breath tests in...

People accused of breaking the law benefit from a presumption of innocence. The general public and even those in the criminal justice system should treat those accused of crimes as though they are innocent until the courts convict them. Unfortunately, the opposite is...

When police officers suspect people of drunk driving, they start looking for evidence. They ask a driver what they did previously to see if they may have committed a driving under the influence (DUI) infraction. They may ask them to exit the vehicle to submit to field...

What humans eat can have a direct impact on their appearance, health and quality of life. People are often willing to embrace major dietary changes to improve their health or lose weight. There have been many fad diets over the years that people have embraced to...

Most drivers in South Carolina have heard the most common urban legends about breath testing. For example, many people still share the myth that sucking on a penny or multiple pennies before performing a breath test might eliminate the risk of failing the test. Others...

Bars and restaurants make money the more that their patrons drink, but they also risk a degree of liability if they break alcohol service rules. Dram shop laws sometimes lead to insurance claims and lawsuits brought against businesses because of their practices when...

Accurately determining whether a motorist is impairment is critical when a police officer initiates a suspected drunk driving traffic stop. One option they have for doing this involves chemical testing. This is usually done through a breath test. There are two primary...

A motorist who has been arrested for a driving under the influence (DUI) infraction faces the risk of numerous consequences. A judge could sentence them to probation or a certain amount of time in state custody, especially if this was not their first offense. The...