Citation

Roeder B. Blutalkohol 1997; 34(4): 294-305.

Affiliation

Universitat Dortmund, Fachbereich 14/Psychologie, 44227 Dortmund, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety and Bund gegen Alkohol und Drogen im Straßenverkehr, Publisher Steintor Verlag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The error of estimation of the breathalyser Alcomat 7410 by the manufacturer Drager was assessed in a drinking experiment involving 39 individuals. A slightly higher tendency to overestimate the blood alcohol level was found for men. This fact ought to be followed up in subsequent experiments of this kind. In addition, it was tested if the estimation of BAC is more accurate using the Watson formula than the Widmark formula. Watson (1981) takes the variables age and height into consideration, as well as gender and weight. A statistically significant increase in accuracy could be demonstrated using the Watson formula. A one person sample with repeated measurements showed that the intraindividual deviation between measurement and estimation of BAC is minimal, even when using the Widmark formula.