Driving under the influence is among the top offenses on the road in the U.S. Every year, an estimated 10,000 people get killed due to alcohol-related crashes. Since 30 years ago, statistics showed that alcohol-related accidents have claimed the lives of more than 440,000 people.
And just recently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that all the 50 U.S. states follow a cut-off of 0.05 for the blood alcohol content instead of the current 0.08 standard. The board also urged all courts to act on drunk driving cases.
The NTSB believes that lowering the blood-alcohol content standard could save some 800 lives each year. Apart from the U.S., there are also over 100 countries worldwide that have set their BAC limits to 0.05 or lower.
Authorities in the country continue to find ways to reduce, if not totally eliminate, cases of driving under the influence. They are also utilizing technology in an effort to easily track offenders even before they can cause harm to people and properties.
High-tech Tools
Law enforcement agencies are fortunate to have various kinds of advanced technology available to them to make them efficient in their jobs.
SCRAM Bracelet – This secure continuous remote alcohol monitor is worn similar to an ankle bracelet. Normally, this is required to be worn by DUI offenders who are under house arrest. The tool works by reading the blood alcohol level of the person wearing it on an hourly basis. The readings are then reported to the police.
The bracelet is the first of its kind that effectively tests a person’s alcohol content. The test is usually done on molecules of ethanol that released from the ankle.
Breathalyzer – This tool is also used by authorities. It measures a driver’s blood alcohol content when he or she blows into the device. Although the device does not necessarily measure the alcohol in your blood, it is considered a good indicator.
Basically, there are three major kinds of breathalyzers available today. They differ in the types of sensors used in their systems. The spectrophotometer or the fuel cell is a feature of the larger devices used in police stations. The hand-held units either use the fuel cells or the semiconductor sensors.
Ignition Interlock System – This tool is installed in the vehicle’s dashboard. It includes a breathalyzer that needs to be used by the driver before he or she can start the car. Any number more than 0.0 registered on the device will not let you start the vehicle. All U.S. states require first offenders to install this device.
Once the driver passes the breath test, the device continues to monitor the person’s alcohol level. There are models that have rolling retests which requires a driver to do another test at a certain interval.
Get Help
If you live in Florida and should you get in trouble with law enforcers, you can seek help from a Floria DUI defense attorney. A lawyer can assist you in taking steps to clean up your driving record.
About the guest author:
Evelyn Franklin is a professional blogger that provides news and information on Florida criminal lawyers. She writes for Musca Law, a law firm and provides Florida drug crimes attorney.