Breathe for 30 thousand: testing a cheap breathalyzer and measuring the rate of alcohol withdrawal

What are breathalyzers: how they work

Breathalyzers (alcometers) are measuring instruments that show what percentage of alcohol is contained in the human body through analysis of exhaled vapors. A short test shows whether the driver is drunk and makes it possible to make a decision on the advisability of sending the citizen for a more detailed medical examination.

What does the traffic police breathalyzer show? How much alcohol is contained in the air exhaled by a citizen. Its vapors contact a special sensor, after which the microcomputer displays the final figure on the screen.

different types on the market :

• Depending on the range of potential buyers: personal (purchased by the drivers themselves) and specialized (more powerful and advanced, used by traffic police officers and doctors).
• Depending on the type of sensor (more accurate electrochemical and low-cost semiconductor ).
• Depending on the method of testing ( with or without into which the driver inhales ).

Electrochemical models suggest that the alcohol released by breathing reacts with components inside the device . The numbers shown on the display and demonstrating the degree of intoxication depend on the intensity of its occurrence.

Semiconductor options operate in a different way. They have a built-in tester that releases alcohol vapor from the air entering the device. The numbers on the display change depending on its percentage. Such devices are less accurate because they are not equipped with protection against exhalation simulation.

Traffic police breathalyzers: what models do traffic police officers use when checking drivers.

Every year, up to 50 thousand people die in road accidents in Russia. Most accidents are caused by drunk drivers. A drunk person driving is a criminal, because while intoxicated, the driver's coordination is impaired, perception is reduced, and reaction is slowed down.

The initial check of drivers for alcohol intoxication is the responsibility of traffic police officers. Traffic police officers, using breathalyzers, identify violators in order to remove them from driving, and, most importantly, to prevent a traffic accident in which people may suffer.

Representatives of the traffic police service conduct an examination on the basis of Government Decree 475 of August 26, 2008. It describes in detail the details of the driver examination procedure, including the requirements for breathalyzers for traffic police officers.

In this article we will tell you which breathalyzers are used by traffic police officers. First of all, it is worth saying that all devices for police officers to measure the level of alcohol in the exhaled air of drivers must be equipped with printers for printing out the analysis results. The device must be equipped with a passport with a verification mark, a document confirming certification and a certificate approved by the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia.

Traffic police officers should only have professional breathalyzers. Today, among the manufacturers of sobriety monitoring devices, it is worth highlighting the German company Drager, which is a world leader in the development and production of safety technologies. Of the modern models used to check drivers by traffic police officers, we note the Drager Alcotest 6810 with a printer and the Drager Alcotest 7510 with a printer. Both devices are professional measuring instruments and can be used in the field of traffic police inspections in accordance with Russian legislation.

Models Alcotest 6810 and Alcotest 7510 are equipped with a modern, precise electrochemical sensor, which allows obtaining the most accurate test results. The main feature of these models is the presence of a printer included in the kit for printing survey results.

Dräger Alcotest 6810 and Alcotest 7510 can be operated with or without a mouthpiece and have a full-text graphic display for ease of use.

The devices are equipped with an “anti-deception” function, thanks to which it is possible to avoid measurement errors in the form of insufficient exhalation or exhalation past the installed mouthpiece, as well as a memory for several thousand mouthpieces. In addition, Alcotest 7510 is equipped with a GPS sensor that allows you to record data about the location of the examination procedure.

So, to carry out the procedure for testing a driver for alcohol, traffic police officers must use only a professional breathalyzer that meets the requirements of Government Decree 475 of August 26, 2008. The device must be certified, have a passport with a verification mark, and also be connected to a printer that prints out the test results. Otherwise, the driver’s examination may be illegal, and the data obtained will not be considered in court as evidence of intoxication.

Now you know what breathalyzers the traffic police use and how to avoid becoming a victim of deception by unscrupulous police officers. But most importantly, you need to know that under no circumstances should you drive while intoxicated. Always weigh the possible consequences, because sometimes a rash step can cost someone their life.

Go to the section Professional breathalyzers, professional breathalyzers

What does a breathalyzer show: ppm or mg/l?

To determine blood alcohol content and the degree of intoxication, two types of indicators are used:

The first units of measurement are used by physicians when conducting research in a healthcare institution. To do this, blood is taken, the percentage of alcohol is calculated, and the degree of intoxication is determined using special tables.

The second units of measurement are indicated by traffic police officers when conducting a breathalyzer test. They show what percentage of alcohol is in the exhaled air.

The data obtained in two different ways are related to each other. One ppm is approximately two mg/l. For example, a reading of 0.16 mg/l on a breathalyzer used by representatives of the traffic police is equivalent to a blood test reading of 0.35 ppm.

Blood test data is considered more accurate because it eliminates the influence of factors that could affect the test results. If the driver has a dispute with traffic police officers, it is recommended to go for a medical examination to resolve it.

The concept of ppm alcohol

In the physical sense, by ppm we will mean a very small value - hundredths of alcohol in the blood. This is due to a more accurate indicator than the percentage we are all used to. Permille is used in qualitative assessments of impurities in solutions and liquids; in our case, the liquid is blood.

If we convert ppm to percentage, we get 0.001% alcohol to blood ratio. This interpretation of alcohol is accepted in laboratories where blood and urine are tested for the presence of ethyl alcohol.

If we try to define alcohol in degrees, we will get a huge number of unnecessary zeros after the decimal point. Especially when the body being examined, which is behind the wheel, is in a state of secondary hangover.

Despite the different effects of alcohol on the female and male body, ppm refers to the toxic effect on brain cells and psychomotor reactions. Although, of course, in women the threshold for intoxication should be 0.5 times lower than in men due to the characteristics of the body.

What external factors influence breathalyzer readings?

The devices used by traffic police representatives show the concentration of alcohol in the air vapor exhaled by the motorist, but do not explain its origin . This causes errors and inaccuracies associated with the rapid test. There are the following factors leading to distortion of its results:

• Dangerous drinks

You should not believe advertising: the percentage of alcohol in non-alcoholic beer is not zero, so after drinking it, a breathalyzer shows up to 0.1 mg/l. Food products, such as kefir, have a similar effect. Experts advise drivers to avoid drinking drinks with liqueurs or sweets with alcohol filling before traveling.

Equipment readings are affected by citrus fruits, bananas, Borodino bread, cakes and pastries. If traffic police officers conduct a test, its result will reach 0.15 mg/l.

• Pharmaceuticals

If medications are alcohol-based (for example, motherwort, valerian), their use affects the breathalyzer values. A refreshing mouth spray has a similar effect.

• Features of the body

The high level of endogenous alcohol is due to the peculiarities of metabolism in the body. If the breathalyzer shows an excess, a blood test will help to understand the situation.

• Instrument error

Even expensive equipment used by law enforcement agencies has measurement errors. According to rough estimates, it reaches 0.05 mg/l. An error made during the inspection may result in an administrative case being exceeded in 2021. Other factors that affect accuracy include wear on the breathalyzer, hot weather, or high humidity.

• Fraud by traffic police officers

The capture of a drunk driver is the merit of the traffic police inspector. To hold a citizen accountable, he can lubricate the surface of the mouthpiece with alcohol. If a motorist is sure that he did not drink alcohol before the trip, he should carefully check the cleanliness of the equipment and, if a dispute arises, request a medical examination.

Acceptable limits of breathalyzer readings

To read the readings correctly, you should understand what standards are regulated in certain countries

To read the readings correctly, you should understand what standards are regulated in certain countries. In particular, the highest allowable figure is ‰ 1.00 in some US states. But Hungary, Czechoslovakia and a number of other countries do not allow the presence of alcohol in the blood at all, that is, ‰ = 0.00. In Russia, in 2008, the permissible norm of 0.3 ‰ was adopted, however, the law was adopted taking into account the errors of measuring instruments, the characteristics of the body, that is, factors influencing the readings of the device. This situation led to a complete ban on the consumption of alcoholic beverages and “zero ‰”, which also turned out to be impossible due to the characteristics of the human body and the inaccuracy of measurements on a breathalyzer.

In 2013, the acceptable level returned again to 0.16‰ when exhaled or 0.3‰ in the blood. Breathalyzer readings within this interval are considered normal; no complaints are made against drivers. However, the inaccuracy of these measuring instruments often leads to a situation where the slightest excess in ppm leads to the fact that the motorist is considered drunk and punished to the fullest extent of the law. There is only one way out - do not drink while driving, before the intended trip and allow the alcohol to leave the body after the previous rest.

If there is fumes, what will the breathalyzer show?

A breathalyzer test is one of the grounds for bringing a motorist to justice. The final decision is made by the road inspector, analyzing the appearance, speech and behavior of the citizen. After heavy libations, you won’t be able to avoid a fine, but if you drink one glass of wine in the evening, you can try to “deceive” the device.

To do this, it is recommended to snack on alcohol with fatty foods, which slow down the absorption of alcohol into the blood. If the driver's appearance does not arouse suspicion, the inspector will not check the driver using specialized equipment.

Folk remedies that help remove fumes include coffee beans, fresh mint or parsley leaves, ginger, garlic . A proven pharmaceutical product – “Anti-policeman”. These recipes will not reduce the alcohol content in the exhaled air, but will help convince the inspector of the driver’s sobriety before using the device.

The feasibility of moving away from the “zero ppm” principle

These amendments cannot but please modern drivers, who no longer have to become “guilty without guilt.” But here the other side of the coin also emerges. Against the backdrop of existing permits, there will always be people who are not averse to playing the lottery with the law, hoping that the alcohol consumed will fall within the maximum permissible limit .

Moreover, active supporters of this amendment often recall the existing permits for alcohol in the blood when driving a car in other countries, where the permissible limit is much higher (remember that in Russia the maximum permissible level of ethanol in the blood is 0.3 ppm). How are things going in other states? Let's take a look:

• Canada and USA - up to 0.8 ppm.
• Japan and India - up to 0.3 ppm;
• France and Germany - up to 0.5 ppm;
• Poland, Israel, China - up to 0.2 ppm.

Where is a breathalyzer used?

A breathalyzer is a device that determines the degree of intoxication. It's no secret that even a small amount of alcohol can cause lethargy, an increased desire to sleep, and negatively affect alertness. It is obvious that a drunk person in a car poses a danger to himself and the people around him. That is why special attention is paid to this issue, and violations of the rules are severely prosecuted by law.

Most often, a breathalyzer is needed by transport police to determine the sobriety of motorists on the road, but the device is widely used in other areas.

1. Transport organizations check their drivers before setting out on a route.
2. Drivers of school buses and other municipal institutions are subject to similar checks.
3. The device is used when legal disputes arise.
4. Employees of public and private companies involved in working with harmful and dangerous substances, as well as complex mechanisms or working in extreme conditions are subject to periodic inspections.
5. A breathalyzer is also needed to monitor problem children and teenagers.

The areas listed above are far from the only places where the device is used. A breathalyzer can be useful for the most ordinary driver, because there are often cases when the next morning after a holiday it is necessary to drive a car, and at the same time there can be no confidence that there is no alcohol left in the blood without a test.

Types of testers

The breathalyzer works using sensors that measure the level of alcohol-containing substances in the air . When a person drinks alcohol, it is carried through the blood to all parts of the body, including the lungs, and from them the alcohol remains in the air that the driver exhales. Sensors are divided into several types.

1. Semiconductor (characterized by the lowest accuracy), deviations in the accuracy of readings up to 20%.
2. Electrochemical (the most accurate data), error - up to 0.01 ppm or no more than 10% of the final result.
3. Infrared, photometric (they do not lose their functions over time, this is why they compare favorably with the first type), the error of the breathalyzer is up to 10%.

All devices come with or without a mouthpiece. Models without a mouthpiece are called non-contact, since the subject, when exhaling, holds the device at a distance of no more than 2 cm from the mouth and blows into a special hole.

Important! Devices without a mouthpiece are considered less accurate, since in this case part of the exhaled air is scattered, and it is not possible to determine the exact level of ethanol.

A breathalyzer with a mouthpiece is a contact version, where the user places a plastic straw between the lips and blows into it. The air is not dissipated and the results are more accurate. For hygiene purposes, the kit may contain several replaceable plastic straws.

How does a breathalyzer work?

The instructions for the device give an understanding of how to use a breathalyzer of one type or another, but in general the process is quite similar.

1. The device is turned on using a special button.
2. The mouthpiece is connected.
3. The person being tested breathes into the tube until a double beep sounds.
4. The processor calculates the amount of ethanol and displays the result on the screen.

On a note! Depending on the device, the designation of the indicator may be different - in ppm, mg/liter, fractions of percent.

As mentioned above, the operating principle of the breathalyzer is based on determining the amount of ethanol in the air that the test subject exhales. Based on this, it is possible to find out how drunk he was when he drank alcohol, as well as how much alcohol remained in his blood if the drinks were taken on the eve of the trip. When air enters the device, the sensor transmits a signal to a special processor, which carries out specific final calculations. The sensors themselves analyze the air in different ways:

• electrochemical monitors the reaction of reagents to the ethanol contained;
• semiconductors analyze the amount of heat released as a result of a chemical process that begins when alcohol is present in the body;
• infrared detect ethanol vapors.

Valid values

Below is a table with blood alcohol content and the body's possible reaction.

It is worth noting that 3.5 ppm is considered a lethal dose for humans. Depending on the type of device, the designation may be displayed in digital values, the screen color changes (green, yellow, red), and an arrow on the table indicates the result.

Important! Before agreeing to undergo the test, the car enthusiast should know that Russian legislation allows 0.365 ppm, which is equivalent to 0.16 ml/liter. In Europe, the acceptable value is 0.8 ppm.

How many ppm are there in alcoholic drinks?

Much depends on the degree and absorption of the drink by a person

Is one ppm in the blood too much or too little? You should remember the following rules:

1. A half-liter bottle of vodka contains 200 ml of pure alcohol, which converts to 2.5 ‰ (promille) in the body of a healthy 75 kg man. Such breathalyzer readings are classified as serious intoxication.

Important! A blood level of 5-6 ppm is a lethal dose.

1. Cognac shows about the same as vodka - 2.5 ‰;
2. Half a liter of beer (one bottle) contains 0.32 ‰, that is, a quarter liter will show only 0.16 ‰ on the measuring device - but this same indicator can be attributed to the standard errors of the device.
3. A drink up to 12% with a volume of 0.7 l will show 12‰.

Much depends on the degree and absorption of the drink by a person. For example, champagne is quickly absorbed, showing ‰ on the tester, but it is also eliminated just as quickly. And the devices can also detect alcohol vapor contained in the exhalation - that is, those residues that remain in a person even after complete sobering up.

Alcohol levels in the body and ppm table

Why a breathalyzer may give incorrect readings

There is a situation in which a police officer stops a driver and asks him to take an alcohol test. The motorist, fully confident that he is not in danger, because he really did not drink, agrees to the test, and the breathalyzer shows that there is ethanol in the blood. It is important to know that some drinks and foods can cause a similar reaction and give a false result, and in addition, some people have a slightly higher reading for health reasons. To avoid misunderstandings and erroneous punishment, you should know what can cause a reaction from the tester:

• soft drinks (kvass or beer);
• pharmaceutical products containing alcohol;
• candies with alcohol (tests were carried out, and the result showed that four candies leave a trace, which completely disappears only an hour after consumption);
• kefir or yogurt;
• raisins or grapes, which can cause fermentation in the stomach;
• black bread, overripe bananas, oranges, desserts;
• regularly used inhalers;
• a cigarette can add two hundredths to the final result.

Why is calibration performed?

Breathalyzer calibration is a mandatory procedure for models that have multiple uses . Laboratory studies have shown that every test on any type of tester affects the condition of the sensor, reducing its sensitivity. This point is indicated in the description of the device. Another nuance shows that the tester can malfunction and begin to show inaccurate data if saliva is deliberately placed in it or tobacco smoke is exhaled. As a rule, the instructions indicate the service life of the breathalyzer, as well as when it is necessary to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor or completely replace it. Some models have a self-diagnostic function and can indicate the need for calibration.

Models with a semiconductor sensor need to be tested and the sensor replaced after 200-300 checks, provided that professional devices are used 20-30 times a day, and individual devices - 2-3 times a day. If the frequency of use is significantly less, then checking the breathalyzer and calibrating it is needed once a year. Professional models are sent to special metrological services after every 500-1500 uses, depending on the frequency of daily use.

On a note! You can repair a personal breathalyzer yourself; you just need to buy a new sensor.

Common Myths

There are some myths and misconceptions among drivers that sometimes make them want to take risks and go on a trip after drinking alcohol. The most popular of them are collected below. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the list so as not to get into the unpleasant situation of deprivation of rights due to a stupid mistake.

1. There is a myth that the tester will not show beer - this is a misconception; any alcohol-containing drink produces ethanol in the blood.
2. Food in large quantities neutralizes alcohols.
3. Belching also does not improve the alcohol content situation.
4. Chewing gum, sprays, and aerosols that can mask the odor are not able to remove traces of alcoholic beverages.
5. A battery or a copper coin is another stupid myth, and the presence of such objects in the mouth will definitely raise questions from traffic police inspectors.

As a conclusion, it is worth noting that no matter how the driver feels immediately after or the morning after drinking alcohol, you should not neglect your own and other people’s lives, and also spoil your future. There are no situations in which driving out is a necessity and worth the risk. And the question is not even about the possibility of being caught, but in relation to others, because according to statistics, drunk drivers kill many more people than they die themselves.

The most reliable breathalyzers

Breathalyzer Alcogran AG-100 on Yandex Market

Breathalyzer Airline ALK-D-02 on Yandex Market

Breathalyzer Dingo AT-2020 on Yandex Market

Breathalyzer Inspector AT600 on Yandex Market

Breathalyzer AlcoHunter Professional X on Yandex Market

A breathalyzer is a device that measures the amount of alcohol in the blood. It is used in many areas, such as medical institutions, traffic police, and transport organizations.

The alcohol meter shows how much alcohol is in a person’s blood at the moment.

What does the breathalyzer reading depend on? And how much does he have to show for this to be considered the norm?

Procedure for taking an alcohol test

Regardless of where testing for alcohol content is carried out, at home or on the street by traffic police officers, the procedure always follows the same algorithm of actions. All you need to do is inhale a small amount of air into the mouthpiece of the device so that the device can conduct an analysis and display the result on the screen.

• Due to the sensor located inside the breathalyzer, the alcohol content in the received portion of air is measured;
• then the result is recalculated into a numerical indicator of blood alcohol content;
• the last stage – the final result is displayed on the screen. Some devices can print the result on a sheet of paper.

What can affect the readings?

An error on a breathalyzer may occur under certain circumstances. They need to be remembered, this will help protect yourself in an unfair situation. The readings may be influenced by several factors.

A fever in a person who is being tested for the presence of alcohol in the body can lead to elevated levels. The most accurate readings are those taken at normal temperatures.

If it is high, then the breathalyzer will have an overestimated value.

The indicators will be more accurate no earlier than fifteen minutes after the last drink. Volatile agents - acetone, varnish and paint can also affect the result.

The device should only be used at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer. Body conditions and diseases can affect the designation on the breathalyzer.

Error of a breathalyzer when checking for intoxication

Lawyer Gorobets Igor Yurievich

Call now and get a preliminary consultation:

8-912-343-72-22 8

According to Part 1 of Art. 12.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, driving a vehicle by a driver who is in a state of intoxication entails the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of thirty thousand rubles with deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of one and a half to two years.

At the same time, the article contains a note of the following nature: the use of substances that cause alcohol or drug intoxication, or psychotropic or other substances that cause intoxication is prohibited. Administrative liability provided for by this article and part 3 of article 12.27 of this Code occurs in the event of an established fact of consumption of substances that cause alcohol intoxication, which is determined by the presence of absolute ethyl alcohol in a concentration exceeding the possible total measurement error, namely 0.16 milligrams per liter of exhaled breath. air, or in the case of the presence of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in the human body.

At the moment, the procedure for a medical examination for intoxication is established by the Instructions for conducting a medical examination for the state of intoxication of a person who drives a vehicle, and for filling out registration form 307/U-05 “Report of a medical examination for the state of intoxication of a person who drives a vehicle,” approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated July 14, 2003 N 308 “On medical examination for intoxication.”

Until recently, the said instructions contained paragraph 16, which read as follows: a conclusion about the state of intoxication as a result of drinking alcohol is made if the results of determining alcohol in the exhaled air are positive using one of the technical means of measurement carried out with an interval of 20 minutes, or when not less than two different technical means of indicating the presence of alcohol in exhaled air, using both of them for each test carried out with an interval of 20 minutes. Paragraph 16 of the Act notes that the biological object was not collected for chemical and toxicological research.

That is, the doctor could make a conclusion about the state of intoxication if the results of determining alcohol in exhaled air were positive.

This provision of the Instructions contradicted the provisions of the note to Art. 12.8 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

On November 28, 2013, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation issued decision No. AKPI13-1077, in which, having considered a civil case, it decided to invalidate the first sentence of paragraph 16 of the Instructions for conducting a medical examination for the state of intoxication of a person who drives a vehicle and filling out registration form N 307 /у-05 “Act of medical examination for the state of intoxication of a person who drives a vehicle”, approved by order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated July 14, 2003 N 308, regarding the issuance of a conclusion on the state of intoxication as a result of drinking alcohol with positive results of alcohol determination in exhaled air, without taking into account the permissible level of the presence of absolute ethyl alcohol in a concentration not exceeding the possible total measurement error, namely 0.16 milligrams per liter of exhaled air.

Thus, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation actually obliged doctors to take into account the errors of instruments and not establish a state of intoxication at levels less than 0.16 milligrams per liter of exhaled air.

At the same time, the note refers specifically to a concentration that exceeds the possible total measurement error. The limit for this concentration is 0.16 mg/l. The law in no way condones drinking alcohol while driving; the standard of 0.16 mg/l was introduced precisely as protection against instrument errors.

Therefore, the error of the specific breathalyzer used to determine your state of intoxication, equal to 0.05 mg/l, is included in the permitted 0.16 mg/l. And since the breathalyzer already showed 0.17 mg/l with a possible error, then in relation to you the determination of the presence of intoxication was legally justified.

Attention! The information provided in the article is current at the time of publication.

Use of a breathalyzer: what is special?

How does this device measure alcohol in the blood?

Breathalyzers are a type of electronic device.

How do they differ from other similar devices?

The difference between a breathalyzer and other electronics is that in some cases it can affect a person’s fate.

If there is an accident, including a fatal one, the presence of alcohol in the blood may affect the punishment that the driver receives. In a transport organization, if, after an inspection, elevated breathalyzer readings are recorded, the careless driver may be suspended from the trip or from work altogether.

There are the following types of breathalyzers:

• individual;
• special;
• professional.

Such devices can be used no more than twice a day. In this case, the power source is batteries. Batteries are not used in devices of this type.

Special ones can withstand up to thirty blows daily. Ideal for use in small transport organizations.

Professional devices are used in medical institutions; the police use them to examine vehicle drivers. They can withstand three hundred blows a day. There is special equipment for the device.

Such devices are distinguished by their accuracy - the possible error of the breathalyzer will show no more than 0.01 ppm. The device is checked twice a year and is also calibrated. Without verification by metrologists, the device cannot be considered accurate.

What is a breathalyzer?

A standard breathalyzer is a device with an electronic display, a built-in gas analyzer and installed software that allows you to print the examination results on paper right on the spot. The principle of its operation is that this device analyzes the composition of the air exhaled by a person and, if there is alcohol in it, determines the volume of alcohol vapor. The unit of measurement for all breathalyzers used in Russia is milligram per liter (mg/l).

The breathalyzer works very simply - the driver blows the device through a special mouthpiece and literally in a couple of seconds the test result is ready. Traffic police officers are required to present it to the driver and print it out on a special coupon, which is attached to the materials of the administrative case.

You need to know this: in accordance with the note to Art. 12.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, the “line” separating a drunk driver from a sober one, is set at 0.16 mg of ethyl alcohol per 1 liter of exhaled air or 0.3 grams per liter of blood. It is these values ​​that are considered indicators of the possible total measurement error. Simply put, if the breathalyzer showed 0.16 mg/l or less in the exhaled air, you are sober, and if 0.17 mg/l or more, inspectors will have every reason to charge you with driving a vehicle while intoxicated.

The next very important point is that traffic police officers have the right to use not any breathalyzers, but only those that are approved for use by Roszdravnadzor , and each breathalyzer must be accompanied by a package of documents, namely, a certificate for the device and a certificate of its verification indicating the date, up to which its use is permitted (Article 26.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). If the verification period specified in the certificate has already expired, the traffic police inspector does not have the right to use such a breathalyzer, since the results of the examination with an “expired” device will not have legal force. A breathalyzer is not a medical examination! The next thing I would like to clarify for our readers is that an on-site examination using a breathalyzer and a medical examination in a hospital are completely different procedures from a legal point of view.

Thus, examination with a breathalyzer is not a mandatory procedure for the driver and he can refuse it without negative consequences for himself. However, in this case, the traffic police officers will inevitably offer to go to the hospital for a medical examination and we strongly do not recommend you refuse this offer, because this is already fraught with deprivation of rights. Therefore, if you are sober and confident that the breathalyzer will not show anything, do not refuse to “blow the tube”, otherwise you will have to go to the hospital, and this is fraught with wasting a lot of time.

This is important: when examining with a breathalyzer, traffic police officers are required to use a disposable mouthpiece, which is printed immediately before the examination. Violation of this requirement may be considered as grounds for recognizing the survey results as unreliable

If the gas analyzer built into the breathalyzer shows the presence of alcohol in the exhaled air, and you are firmly convinced that you did not drink, do not panic!

The fact is that the results of a breathalyzer examination are not always the “ultimate truth” and if you do not agree or doubt them, you have the right to demand a full medical examination by a doctor in a medical institution. This is especially true in cases where the device readings fluctuate around the permissible error (for example, the first exhalation showed 0.15 mg/l, and the second - 0.17 mg/l). At the same time, traffic police officers cannot refuse to conduct a medical examination by virtue of the law (Part 1.1 of Article 27.12 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). Upon arrival at the hospital, the driver will undergo a more thorough medical examination, based on the results of which a final decision will be made.

Based on the results of the breathalyzer examination, the traffic police inspector draws up a protocol in which the most important point is recording the driver’s agreement or disagreement with the examination results. If you agree with the readings of the device that showed the condition of the vehicle, the driver can be held accountable based on the results of the breathalyzer alone, without a trip to the hospital. If you disagree with the testimony, the driver will be asked to go to a health care facility to undergo a “full” medical examination by a professional doctor.

This is important: even if you are sober as glass, never refuse a medical examination in a hospital, regardless of the reasons and circumstances. In accordance with Art. 12.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, refusal to test for intoxication entails deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle for a period of one and a half to two years

How to evaluate instrument readings

Cases of using the breathalyzer for dishonest purposes cannot be ruled out. After this testimony, it will be difficult for a sober driver to prove that he did not drink alcohol. It is not necessary to be able to interpret all the readings of the device in detail, but it is advisable to have an idea of ​​what their interpretation is.

Alcohol levels are calculated based on the total amount of air inhaled. Data are calculated in ppm.

The table will help you figure out what a person’s condition looks like in percentage terms in accordance with the alcohol content in the body:

• up to 2 – euphoria. The person has an elevated mood, slight euphoria, increased ability to work, and increased self-confidence. The drinker is adequate and responds well to external irritating factors;
• 2-3 – the person is lethargic. He wants to lie down, he feels sleepy, there is disorientation in space, nausea and vomiting may appear;
• 2.5-4 – stuporous state. Complete disorientation, possible loss of consciousness;
• 4-5 – comatose state – a person loses consciousness for a long time, loss of reflexes;
• if the dose exceeds 5 ppm , a person may die.

Therefore you need to be vigilant! After all, previously the alcohol limit was higher, up to 0.5 was acceptable. Now 0.2 is considered mild intoxication. If a person drank a glass of beer or did not drink at all, and the alcohol level measured by a breathalyzer showed 4.0 ppm, you need to insist on a more serious check in a medical institution.

How was the error determined and what does it depend on?

5 years ago, the concept of “error” was enshrined in Russian legislation. The Chairman of the State Duma, after consulting with medical experts, put forward a proposal to set the permissible values ​​at 0.16 mg/l, which is equal to 0.365 ppm. Such measures were designed to protect drivers from arbitrariness by traffic inspectors.

Medical researchers claim that with such an insignificant ethanol content, the driver does not pose a danger to other road users. He behaves adequately, his reaction is not inhibited, his coordination is not impaired.

Professional breathalyzers used by traffic police officers operate using electrochemical and infrared sensors. Household appliances use less accurate semiconductor sensors. Therefore, the difference in performance between such devices is significant.

Breathalyzers detect the presence of alcohol in the driver's blood. The products of the breakdown of ethanol, which poison the body, cannot be detected by devices.

Personal meters are designed to detect residual alcohol during a hangover.

A fine is imposed on the driver when the instrument readings, taking into account permissible errors, are above the norm. The examination is carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, approved registration forms are filled out in the presence of witnesses.