What are the Different Kinds of Blood Alcohol Testers
04 November, 2021
In New Zealand, road and work safety is a top priority. Law enforcement is always on the lookout for possible road hazards, and police officers randomly inspect drivers for any driving violations. Likewise, employers have clear guidelines to maintain safety in the workplace. Companies may require their employees for regular alcohol testing. If you are familiar with New Zealand roads, you may also be familiar with blood alcohol testers.
New Zealand has an alcohol limit of 0.05% BAC or breath alcohol concentration. If you are driving higher than 0.05%, you are already considered legally drunk and may face legal consequences. In jobs where safety is of utmost importance, regular drugs and alcohol tests are conducted to ensure that no substance abuse is happening in the workplace. The most common blood alcohol testers that police officers and companies use are breath, urine, or blood tests.
Blood Alcohol Testers
Each blood alcohol testers have different pros and cons. Breath testing is used to estimate the amount of alcohol content in the blood through one’s breath through a breathalyzer. A breathalyzer is a device where a person can blow through the mouthpiece and measure the BAC in a person’s body within seconds. It can detect alcohol in your breath within fifteen minutes after drinking. The higher the digits in the breathalyzer, the more volume of alcohol was consumed.
A urine test can detect alcohol in the body much longer after drinking alcohol than a breath test. Using urine as a specimen, it detects the presence of alcohol between 12 to 48 hours after drinking. However, since getting a urine sample is hard to perform on the spot, it may not be the ideal method if you’re on the side of the road. The passage of time between getting the sample and getting it to the laboratory affects the test results.
The blood test is the most accurate blood alcohol tester for getting the BAC since it measures alcohol content directly from the blood. Refusal to participate in the blood test by authorities may have legal repercussions.
Not one blood alcohol testers are infallible. The combination of different tests may be necessary if the results of one test method need further confirmation. If you need to know your BAC before going to work or driving, you can opt for the more accessible method: the breath test. Consider the wide selection of high-quality BACtrack breathalyzers from Breathalysers New Zealand, for your breath testing needs.
Related Articles:
