DUI – DWI Breath Tests in Illinois

Reader’s Question:

Hi, I live in Bloomington, Illinois and my question is about the breath test that is used in a DUI investigation. What are the usual flaws that a breath testing machine has?

Elsie

Bloomington, IL

The breathalyzer or a breath testing machine used in Bloomington, Illinois, or anywhere in the state for that matter, operates using infrared analysis. Unfortunately, infrared analysis is prone to many flaws; so breathalyzer tests do not always provide accurate results.

The major flaw that infrared “breathalyzers” are prone to is specificity. The designers of the breathalyzer or the breath test machine understood this and attempted to diminish the chances of this flaw causing problems by using two wavelengths. The onboard computer coordinates sequencing and automatic calibration, which enables easy use and limits errors. Also, the software had the option to be calibrated to meet the requirements of various jurisdictions or agencies. The breath tube used by the breath test machine is detachable and has a concealed wire-wrapped antenna that is used to detect any radio frequency interference. The detector should be at near freezing; this must also be monitored by the computer.