The pitfalls of DUI testing
Police and criminal prosecutors take DUI very seriously, and, across the country, law enforcement agencies are cracking down with more DUI checkpoints and increased field sobriety testing. One of the biggest challenges for any Los Angeles DUI defense attorney is dealing with the various types of sobriety tests available to law enforcement. Breath tests, blood tests and general sobriety tests all have their pitfalls, but they provide law enforcement officials with the "proof" they need to convict someone of a DUI. Every test, whether it is a field sobriety test, a breathalyzer test or a blood test, has the possibility of returning a false positive.
A number of medical conditions or other factors can increase the chance of a false positive on a DUI test. For example: one DUI defense attorney claims that many Angelenos arrested for DUI could in fact be innocent, victims of a mistake due to their medical condition. A diabetic with hypoglycemia--low levels of sugar in the blood--can exhibit many of the same physical symptoms as someone who is under the influence of alcohol: slow or slurred speech, poor balance, impaired motor control and disorientation. In other words, a diabetic who is stopped at a sobriety checkpoint or pulled over by the police may look and behave like a drunk driver. Furthermore, people with diabetes have a chemical in their breath which can cause breathalyzers to register high blood alcohol concentrations.
Breathalyzer technology--while it is an invaluable DUI test to police officers--can malfunction like any other technology, resulting in false test results. There are many possible reasons, from smokeless tobacco to close contact with paint or paint thinner, that a breath test could register a false positive. Without the representation of an experienced DUI defense attorney, you could potentially be convicted on the basis of a simple mechanical error.
Anyone who is facing or has faced prosecution for a DUI testunderstands the importance of retaining an LA DUI Defense attorney who will pursue every possible avenue in your defense. LA DUI Defense Team's skilled DUI defense attorneys will examine every aspect if your case, including the possibility of an incorrect test result or breathalyzer malfunction.