Unreliability of Breath Machines

DUI Attorneys in Bakersfield Challenging Undependable Results

People tend to think that breathalyzers are infallible because they are a machine. However, just because it is providing law enforcement officials with an unbiased result does not mean in any way that it is an accurate result. At Campbell Whitten, our Bakersfield DUI lawyers are fully aware of the fact that machines can make the same mistakes a human can, and we know how to challenge the blood alcohol content (BAC) results that breath machines report.

We are always putting ourselves at the frontlines of creative criminal defense tactics and think outside of the box for each case we accept. In fact, by working together as a team, rather than relying on individual attorneys on a case-by-case basis, we have been able to successfully handle thousands of cases.

Failure to Maintain Breath Machines

Any breath-reading device requires routine maintenance. As law enforcement officers are usually out and about on patrol or dealing with serious criminals, they might not have the time or the energy to properly maintain and calibrate these machines in order to ensure that they are giving accurate results.

In fact, California law requires that these machines are tested against a known sample to establish a margin of error every 10 days or 150 uses, whichever comes first. If that margin of error is within 0.02%, the machine is within the legally-acceptable margin of error. However, as the illegal blood alcohol level technically begins at 0.08%, the acceptable margin of error is actually equal to one-quarter of the scale, which is questionable.

Our Firm Finds the Truth Within the Results

At Campbell Whitten, we know that any breath machine test will likely provide some sort of clue as to whether or not it was functioning properly. Through careful analysis of the machine's maintenance and testing records, the BAC results in your case, and even the facts that led up to the breath test, we may be able to find clues to use to your advantage.

Our Bakersfield DUI attorneys believe that your rights must come first when you are brought to court for a criminal offense. The results of a breath machine should not be seen as undeniable proof just because a computer generated them.