There are many factors that contribute to traffic accidents in Australia. One of the significant factors in fatal traffic accidents in Australia is drink driving. Alcohol impairs the ability to maintain control over movements, slows reflexes, and disrupts appropriate eye coordination, which can cause errors and unsafe driving. A person driving after drinking puts other drivers, pedestrians, property, and passengers at risk. In 1985, Australia implemented random police alcohol tests. This policy allows for a random breath test to be administered to anyone operating a vehicle on a public road, sitting in the driver’s seat, or attempting to drive a car. A police officer has the authority to signal or compel the driver of any automobile to stop so they can submit to the test. 

Most police officers conduct a breath test for a police alcohol test during a roadside screening. This breath test uses a breathalyser device to measure the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of any individual. All Australian States have a 0.05 blood alcohol limit for drivers with a full license. However, learners, probationary, and special license holders, such as truck drivers and individuals in charge of public transportation, follow zero alcohol limit. A driver can monitor their BAC after consuming alcoholic drinks via personal BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia. This device can help drivers ensure they are not over the limit before driving.  

Police Alcohol Test: How is it done? 

Drivers are typically stopped by police officers stationed at the side of the road or following the driver’s car, who then signals for the driver to pull over. It is also essential to recall that even if they did not witness someone driving, the police might still ask someone to take a random breath test. Depending on the state, they only have to prove that they had a reasonable suspicion that the person was behind the wheel within the previous two or three hours. Once the police officers ask a driver to stop, the driver can expect a police alcohol test will follow.  

The police officers will ask a driver series of probing questions. They ensure that a minimum of 20 minutes has passed after the driver consumed an alcoholic drink before doing the police alcohol test. In most cases, police officers conduct a breath test for a police alcohol test. This breath test will use a breathalyser to check the BAC levels of the driver via a breath sample. This is because breathalysers only need a few seconds to provide accurate results. Although a breathalyser is easy to use, the police will still provide instructions on the correct way to do the breath test. Just like the personal BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia, they are fast, accurate and easy to use.

Police Alcohol Test: What happens after the test? 

Since the BAC limit for full license holders is 0.05, any driver who undergoes a random police alcohol test must not exceed that limit. If a driver has less than 0.05, they are free to go. However, if a driver shows a result over the 0.05 limit, the driver will be taken to the closest police station for additional evidential breath testing. In the police station, they will use a breath analysis test. This test will use a machine that provides accurate results, which can be used in court. Once the driver undergoes the breath analysis test and the result shows over the limit, the police can charge the driver with a drink driving offence. 

A driver will receive a notice to appear written on a little piece of paper. This paper informs the driver that they must appear in court to defend themselves. The driver also will receive a notice from the police alerting them about the suspension of their license. The span of the suspension depends on the charge that has been brought against the driver. Generally speaking, a 24-hour suspension follows a charge of operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level below 0.10%. But if the reading is higher than 0.10%, the driver’s license will be suspended immediately until the case is resolved. Any driver can avoid this by monitoring their BAC using a personal breathalyser from Breathalysers Australia. These breathalysers are similar to what officers use in police alcohol tests in terms of accuracy and reliability.

Can a Driver Refuse a Police Alcohol Test? 

Police officers may bring a charge of failing to produce a breath sample against a driver if they are given a legitimate request to supply their breath sample and refuse or fail to comply. This offence resembles a DUI in that it can lead to license revocation, penalties, and other things. In some cases, the charges are much higher than positive results in the police alcohol test. Therefore, it is much wiser for a driver to comply with a police alcohol test than to refuse. However, there are a few events where a driver can refuse the test. These are some of the cases: 

• The driver has not driven a vehicle for more than two or three hours already 
• A driver can refuse to take the test for medical reasons 
• The driver is already at home 

However, if a driver has no legal means to refuse the police alcohol test, they must comply. The best way to avoid this is not to drive after drinking. Another way to prevent this is by monitoring the BAC levels before driving a vehicle. Also, the best device anyone can use to monitor BAC is a personal breathalyser. 

BACtrack Breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia

Monitoring BAC using a personal breathalyser is like personally taking a police alcohol test. The BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia provide accurate results, just like police officers’ breathalysers. Breathalysers Australia is Australia’s best breathalyser specialist company. For anyone’s specific need for a breath alcohol test, Breathalysers Australia has the expertise to provide the appropriate advice and product applications. Since 2012, they have concentrated on selling and servicing breathalysers. They have many different types and sizes of personal breathalysers. Small, portable keychain variants, like the BACtrack C6 or C8, are helpful on the road. Models that are bigger and more durable are great for the office, a glove box, or home. The following are the personal BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia: 

• Go Keychain 
• C6 Keychain 
• C8 Smartphone 
• Scout 
• Trace Pro 
• Mobile Pro 
• S80 Pro 
• Trace Pro Gen2 

Conclusion 

Police officers in Australia have the authority to signal or compel any automobile driver to stop so they can submit to the police alcohol test. In most cases, police officers use breathalysers for breath tests. These breathalysers provide accurate BAC results in just a few seconds. Just like the personal BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia. Their breathalysers are fast, accurate and easy to use. Anyone having a personal breathalyser can personally do police alcohol testing on themselves before driving a vehicle. Make sure that they have BAC lower than the legal limit. Thus, any driver can avoid drink driving charges and other penalties.