Legislation of virtually every country in the world provides for severe penalties for “drunken driving”. However, these punitive measures do not always stop drivers from drinking alcohol, especially during the holidays or on holidays. In addition, there is a strong opinion in society that if you have an individual breathalyzer, you can combine drinking and driving a car.

To begin with, household breathalyzers are ordinary measuring devices designed to measure the concentration of alcohol in the air exhaled by a person. Each of these devices gives measurements with an error and is subject to periodic calibration.

The main element of breathalyzers is a sensor that measures the concentration of alcohol vapor in the air and transmits this information to the display of the device. Therefore, all these measuring devices can be divided into three groups according to the type of sensors, which are:

  • semiconductor;
  • electrochemical;
  • infrared.
The performance of individual breathalyzers under Russian law cannot be considered evidence of driver innocence. Therefore, these measuring devices can only be used for self-monitoring.

The choice

Currently, the domestic market offers a large number of different models of breathalyzers, the price of which ranges from a couple of hundred to 60 or more thousand rubles. Such a variety significantly complicates the search for a personal measuring instrument, the indicators of which can be trusted.

Therefore, drivers who decide to acquire a breathalyzer make one of three common mistakes when choosing a device.

Error number 1. Cheap breathalyzer

It makes no sense to buy suspicious measuring devices in the form of key chains and other trinkets. After all, experts estimate the error in the performance of these devices in the form of a “plus or minus a bottle of vodka”.

Indeed, in these breathalyzers “penny” semiconductor sensors are installed, the possibilities of which are limited by the detection of ethanol in the exhalation of a person. Accurate data on the concentration of alcohol in the driver’s body cannot be determined by these devices. You can guess this by the lack of a display. But these measuring instruments can break down after the third or fourth check.

Mistake # 2. Dear Breathalyzer

It makes no sense for an ordinary driver to buy professional models of measuring instruments intended for traffic police officers and doctors. After all, the accuracy of measurements of such devices with a sky-high price (60 thousand rubles or more) is excessive for domestic use. In addition, professional appliances are extremely uncomfortable and capricious in operation. Therefore, their use requires special skills.

Even the most expensive and reliable breathalyzer can be easily disabled if you start this measuring device “in a circle” during a feast.

Mistake # 3. Breathalyzer Applications

The rapid development of mobile gadgets leads to the fact that these devices penetrate the most unexpected areas of human life. Therefore, the appearance of free breathalyzer applications for Android and iOS is not necessary to be surprised.

True, such programs can only be called breathalyzers. After all, such applications use a special formula with which you can calculate the time when a tipsy person can drive.

You should not go into the subtleties of such calculations, but their accuracy raises huge doubts and does not differ much from the readings of household breathalyzers for a couple of hundred rubles.

Which brands can be trusted

Absolutely reliable breathalyzers currently simply do not exist.However, for self-control, for most drivers it will be enough to purchase a measuring device with a semiconductor sensor from the middle price segment, which starts from a thousand rubles. It is this niche in the domestic market that is occupied by the products of companies:

  • Dingo;
  • AlcoHunter;
  • Drager etc.

In this case, it is better to choose a model with a display that displays the measurement result in ppm and cuts off three main values ​​without errors:

  • the presence of ethanol in the exhale;
  • lack of alcohol vapor;
  • boundary conditions (residual effects).

Particular attention should be paid to the configuration of the breathalyzer, if its design involves the use of disposable mouthpieces, as well as an automobile or mains power adapter.

In addition, when using such devices, it is necessary to observe the measurement procedure:

  • make sure that the power source of the device is in good condition
  • the last alcohol intake and control exhalation should be separated for at least ten minutes;
  • it is necessary to exhale the air with the same intensity until the sound signal, with which the device confirms the sampling;
  • the control exhalation should be repeated for accuracy in two to three minutes after the first measurement.

Drivers should not expect miracles from breathalyzers, as this measuring device was created solely so that tipsy people can independently find out when they are completely sober up and can get behind the wheel of a car.