Is It Necessary to Buy a Portable Breath Testing Device for Personal Use?

Do you know that it is possible to test your alcohol level after drinking with a PBT or a personal breath testing device? If you’ve had a DUI charge before and want to avoid a possible second charge yet unwilling to give up alcohol, then a PBT can help you self-assess so that you can avoid injuries, accidents, and possibly getting more jail time.

Police all over Canada use breath analyzing machines to determine if a person needs to undergo certified breath testing at a police station. It isn’t uncommon for bars to have their personal breath testing machines as well for use by their patrons.

Should You Get a Portable Breath Testing Device?

Anyone who frequently drinks alcohol may opt to get a PBT. Some newer models can be plugged into smartphones and an app does all the computations. The app then analyzes the data and informs the user whether it is okay to drive or whether it is safer to get a taxi, Lyft, or Uber home.

PBT devices are great in theory, but the truth is that a lot of them have reliability issues. The error can be as much as 20% both ways and can mislead someone into thinking that a person is less intoxicated or a lot more intoxicated than that person truly is.

PBT Device and the Law

Results from a PBT device alone isn’t admissible as proof of innocence or guilt in a DUI trial because of its large margin of error and reliability issues. This is why it is important to cooperate with the police if you’ve been stopped for a DUI and undergo proper testing at a police station. Note that more severe penalties will be imposed if you refuse breath testing and still proven guilty for a DUI.

If you are facing a DUI charge in Toronto and think that the evidence against you may have been taken without proper protocol, your best way to defend yourself is to contact a Toronto DUI lawyer as soon as possible. Your DUI lawyer will scrutinize every detail to come up with a winning DUI defence for you. Contact Calvin Barry if you need a DUI lawyer in Toronto.