Drink driving carries severe consequences legally as well as to one’s personal safety. Owning a personal breathalyser and using it whenever you’re out drinking can help mitigate the risks of getting in trouble with the law and harming oneself and those in their immediate surroundings.
A personal breathalyser will estimate your blood alcohol concentration or blood alcohol content (BAC) level quickly with a simple blow into the device.
This is usually a reflection of how much consumed alcohol has made its way into one’s bloodstream. However, alcohol impairment varies from person to person, depending on a number of individual factors.
LEARN MORE: What affects our blood alcohol content?
Apart from this, it can also provide a range of benefits discussed in this blog post.
Benefits of having a breathalyser
By owning a personal breathalyser, individuals can enjoy a range of benefits that ultimately contribute to safe and more responsible drinking. Whether a frequent drinker or a social drinker, a personal breathalyser can prove to be an invaluable investment that is bound to protect your safety and well-being as well as that of your loved ones and those around you.
Some of the benefits of having a breathalyser include
Promoting responsible drinking
AlcoSense personal breathalysers provide quick results that are accurate and reliable. Getting results quickly can help individuals make informed decisions about whether or not they are safe to drive. This method is much better than having to guesstimate how many drinks you’ve had before reaching .05 BAC%.
FACT: Impaired drivers are pose a risk that is 13 times more than sober drivers.
Peace of mind
Blowing into a personal breathalyser and knowing your BAC can give individuals peace of mind knowing that they are not putting themselves and their loved ones at risk by driving under the influence of alcohol. Stay informed by knowing the drink driving penalties of the state you are residing in.
Saves time and money
Investing in a personal breathalyser would be much cheaper than having to pay hefty fines for getting caught driving above the legal driving BAC limit of .05 by law enforcement authorities and will also consume less time than having to attend driver rehabilitation programs.
Easy to use
Using a breathalyser is the easiest and most accurate way to estimate your blood alcohol content. AlcoSense personal breathalysers are able to measure your BAC within seconds after depositing a breath sample by blowing into the unit. These units are also compact and portable breathalysers, making them convenient to carry around.
Safe alcohol consumption
By preventing drunk driving, a portable breathalyser like the ones from AlcoSense can help keep individuals and others safe on the road. A portable breathalyser will also be able to help avoid situations where you think you’re just as drunk as your mate because you had the same amount of drinks he did. In reality, there are different factors that affect BAC and intoxication levels.
Workplace benefits
In the workplace, alcohol testers can be used to prevent alcohol-related accidents and promote safety. Andatech industrial breathalysers would be more suited for workplace use as they are capable of testing a higher volume of subjects and have a more accurate sensor to detect even the slightest use of alcohol.
In some industries, like transportation and logistics, conducting alcohol breath tests are compulsory due to the nature of the profession being safety sensitive. Having a breathalyser on-site can reduce the organisation's liability in the event of an alcohol-related incident.
Different types of breathalysers
When it comes to breathalysers in Australia, there are two main kinds: fuel cell breathalysers and semiconductor breathalysers. Fuel cell units are generally considered to be more accurate and reliable, whereas semiconductor units are more affordable but are more susceptible to external interferences in its readings.
Industrial or workplace breathalysers tend to use a higher grade fuel cell to support the demands of workplace testing that are usually more frequent and higher in volume.
Despite being more affordable, semiconductor units tend to record false positives as they may mistake non-alcoholic substances from one’s breath as alcohol, increasing the chances of false readings or higher readings than they should.
Despite their differences, semiconductor breathalysers can still be useful for personal use or general screening.
All Andatech and AlcoSense breathalysers operate using fuel cell technology, making them highly accurate if calibrated regularly in Andatech’s NATA accredited calibration centre in Melbourne.
These accurate breathalysers are also Australian Standard AS 3547 certified, increasing their reliability and ensuring users that their breath test results are more accurate.
Disposable breathalysers are also available on the market, albeit less common and less accurate. They are single-use breathalysers and help users easily check their BAC levels.
For in-depth details of the differences between fuel cell and semiconductor breathalysers, refer to our previous blog post on ‘The common types of breathalysers’.
Choosing the right breathalyser
Choosing the breathalyser that will suit your needs will depend on various factors. It can be a daunting task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the different types of units and brands on the market. Some of the factors to consider when getting a breathalyser include
- Frequency of use – Some questions that should be asked when buying a personal breathalyser is ‘how often will the unit be used?’. If used frequently, higher end fuel cell breathalysers like the AlcoSense Nexus or AlcoSense Stealth would be suitable.
- Accuracy – The most critical factor when considering a breathalyser, ensure your unit of choice is reliable and readings are consistent. Look out for certifications like AS 3547.
- Ease of calibration – Choosing a breathalyser that offers easy calibration processes and maintenance is essential. The Andatech Melbourne calibration centre is NATA accredited for its capability to calibrate breath alcohol testing devices to high levels of accuracy. Andatech also offers easy calibration plans to help users calibrate their units regularly, and hassle-free.
- Ease of use – An easy-to-use breathalyser with clear operating instructions and a straightforward interface is important for easy testing. This rings especially true if you’re in the market for your first breathalyser.
- Other features – Portability, discreetness, Bluetooth pairing and other features may interest certain users.
Considering these factors, you can choose the right breathalyser that meets your needs while providing accurate, reliable results.
Andatech offers a wide range of high-quality personal fuel cell breathalysers from the AlcoSense range. With Australian Standard certification and hundreds of positive reviews, AlcoSense is the ideal choice for both personal and professional use.
