Driving Over .08
The BAC Datamaster:
Although many people use the term “Breathalyzer” to refer to the breath testing machine, in British Columbia the police use the BAC Datamaster C to obtain breath samples to determine the concentration of alcohol in the subject’s blood.
The BAC Datamaster, to be considered reliable, must be operated in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Code and the operational procedures for the instrument. Although it is a generally reliable machine, there are numerous ways that it can malfunction.
Typical BAC Datamaster Malfunctions
- Calibration Error – The internal standard is flawed and the results are unreliable.
- Detector Overflow – The instrument has recorded a result indicating mouth alcohol.
- Invalid Sample– Mouth alcohol may have affected the sample and the results are unreliable.
- Interference Detected – The instrument has detected something other than alcohol rendering the results unreliable.
- Pump Error – The breath tube is obstructed and the results are unreliable.
Every electro-mechanical device can malfunction. A complex device, such as the BAC Datamaster, contains switches, valves a pump and a micro-microprocessor, any of which may fail or malfunction without warning.