A chemical breath test is often the most compelling evidence in a drunk driving case. When a motorist fails a chemical breath test, police officers can arrest them if they haven’t already. Prosecutors can point to their elevated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as proof of their impairment at the wheel.
It is illegal to be over the statutory limit for BAC regardless of whether someone’s alcohol levels actually affect their driving ability or not. Occasionally, individuals who are not under the influence can fail breath tests during traffic stops. Oftentimes, there is a medical explanation for why a driver has elevated blood alcohol test results. The following are the most common medical issues correlated with inaccurate breath test results.
Blood sugar issues
Undiagnosed diabetics and other people who do not take medication and control their blood sugar can potentially produce false positive results when they perform a breath test. The way the body responds to blood sugar issues can result in the production of acetone, which people eliminate from their bodies through their respiratory system. An individual with blood sugar issues might fail a breath test even though they have had nothing to drink whatsoever.
Medical diets
Doctors sometimes prescribe specialty diets to patients to help them manage certain medical conditions. The keto diet is a popular tool for the management of conditions. However, those following a keto diet could be in a state of ketoacidosis during a traffic stop. They could potentially fail a breath test because of the chemical processes that result from their unique diet.
Certain prescription medications
There are certain medications that could cause false positive results or elevated readings during blood alcohol testing. For example, certain prescription asthma inhalers can result in a false positive reading during a breath test. Particularly when someone uses an inhaler immediately before a traffic stop, the medication might cause a false positive test result. Any medication with alcohol in it could impact test results. There are also many personal grooming habits that can produce false positives. The use of a mouthwash or breath spray that includes alcohol could produce an artificially inflated result when performing a chemical breath test.
Drivers arrested on suspicion of drunk driving may have a reasonable medical explanation for why they have failed a chemical test. Reviewing medical circumstances with a skilled legal team can help people understand surprising breath test results produced during a traffic stop.
