Citation

Picton WR. J. Can. Soc. Forensic Sci. 1977; 10(2): 61-64.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Canadian Society of Forensic Science, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00085030.1977.10756835

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The relationship between the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the impairment of driving abilities is sufficiently understood to allow legislation of the type which prohibits driving with a BAC in excess of a given concentration. Law enforcement agencies in those countries with this type of legislation have the means to determine the drivers' BAC either rapidly with a breath test or at a later time by means of blood or urine alcohol analysis. The driver, even though prohibited from driving above a certain BAC has no practical means of measuring his personal BAC prior to driving. To this extent, such a law is vicious because the information the driver needs to determine his BAC prior to driving is unavailable but he commits a criminal offense if he drives with too great a BAC. An analogous situation might be one in which it was an offense to exceed a given speed limit but only the police have speedometers. It is only because of the critical relationship between alcohol and driving ability that society permits such a situation to exist. Clearly the driver should have some method of self-determination of BAC. Self testing equipment would obviously be useful in this regard. This paper discusses the laboratory evaluation of a breath self tester called the Alco-Meter and some of the unique features associated with self testing.