Citation

Slemeyer A. Blutalkohol 2000; 37(4): 203-211.

Affiliation

FH Giessen-Friedberg, D-35390 Giessen, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, 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 paper discusses the proposals by BODE with regard to the safety margin that should be applied to the results of evidential breath analyzers. It becomes apparent that his proposal of adding different types of errors to the legal limits of breath alcohol concentration is scientifically not correct. Psycho-physical breath alcohol base levels are based on a mean blood/breath distribution ratio of 2100:1 and a recently calculated quotient of 2260:1. A comparison of the respective limit values shows that the safety supplements add up to three times the permitted calibration error as well as twice the permitted road traffic error. Reaching a legal limit in breath alcohol concentration is closely linked to the probability of exceeding the base level, which is at least as high as with blood alcohol analysis. Therefore the results of evidential breath analyzers are valid without any type of correction.