Drinking and driving is a concern for many throughout Colorado. The fact that this combination can have deadly consequences is not disputed. So it should be no surprise law enforcement officers are constantly on the lookout for suspected drunk drivers. When an individual is stopped or encounters a sobriety checkpoint, officers may request that he or she complete one or more field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer test to check for possible DUI.
The driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is most often the most important factor in determniing whether he or she will be cited for DUI. If a driver in Colorado has a BAC of .08 mg/dL or higher, he or she will be cited or arrested for DUI per se. However even individuals who have consumed alcohol but have a BAC of less than .08 risk DUI or DWAI charges if they chose to drive.
One way in which blood alcohol is measured is through the use of a breathalyzer test using a machine called the Intoxilyzer. With this test, the individual exhales into a mouthpiece connected to the machine. The machine then analyzes the breath sample and calculates the individual’s blood alcohol content. While breathalyzer tests are not 100 percent accurate, their results are generally admissible as evidence in court to help prove that the driver is guilty of DUI.
When as person is charged with DUI in Colorado, he or she will typically prosecuted by the district attorney’s office and be required to appear in court. It is always important for someone charge with DUI to obtain discovery and review the evidence against them, and this is best done with the help of an experienced DUI attorney. If a breathalyzer and field sobriety tests were administered by law enforcement, these procedures used by law enforcement officers frequently play a part in defending the case.
Source: dui.findlaw.com, “BAC Test FAQs“, March 7, 2017