Abstract With the advent of newer technology, the question arises whether the Breathalyzer, originally created in 1954 is as viable a unit as the newer Intoxilyzer breath alcohol content measuring devices. This paper presents a brief look at the concept of measuring breath alcohol content (BrAC) and reviews the two types of devices relative to how they work, how viable they are for use in the field and how accurate they are.
From the Paper "Although alcohol intoxication is legally defined by the concentration of blood alcohol, Freudenrich (2000) tells us that the concentration of alcohol released from alveolar sacs within the lungs is directly related to the level of alcohol concentration within the bloodstream. Breath alcohol content (BrAC) to levels of alcohol in the blood stream (BAC) is recognized as being in a 2,100:1 ratio (Freudenrich, 2000). Although research confirms that testing for breath alcohol content has been a viable method for prosecution in DWI cases as early as the late 1920's (Kennedy, (n.d.)), it wasn't until 1954 that Dr. Robert Borkenstein created the first Breathalyzer (Freudenrich, 2000; "Frequently asked," 2005). There are three basic types of breath alcohol content testing equipment, all of which rely on different chemical reactions and principles."
Abstract This paper reflects the author's personal experience of being hit by a drunk driver. According to the paper, no mercy needs to be shown to drunk drivers; the maximum allowable blood alcohol content (BAC) should only be 0.05%, and there should be a zero tolerance program for young men and teenage boy drivers caught driving while intoxicated.
From the Paper "My truck wasn't drivable but the door worked. I got out and could hear the glass pop off my clothes and make weird sounds like Rick Krispies popping in a cereal bowl, and when I got to the Mercedes I could see these two guys, drenched in gin, beer, and glass. They were laughing. From ten feet away you could smell the alcohol. When I asked them if they were alright, they gave some quick answer and tried to get the car to move. It wouldn't. I asked them for their insurance and they rattled off some expletives and told me to go to hell and asked if I knew who their father was. However he was, he was going to be very angry when he saw that brown Mercedes, it was totaled."
