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One Use Breathalyzer: Advantages and Disadvantages

13 September, 2023

A woman gesturing no to a person offering alcohol and car key

It is necessary to have monitoring tools such as a breathalyzer. It allows people to know their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) after drinking alcohol. There are legal limits that they must stay within to drive. If their BAC level is over the legal limit, they can make more informed decisions. In particular, they can opt for a one use breathalyzer because it is less expensive than other units yet still convenient. However, it can also provide false readings.

One of the biggest causes of road accidents is drink driving. People drive after consuming alcohol without the knowledge that they are incapable of doing it. They may feel fine, but alcohol can impair judgment. Hence, they would need help by owning a breath tester. There are more pros and cons to the one-time version that they should consider. The following sections will present them, but they will first learn about the uses of the device.

Usages of One Use Breathalyzer

Buying a one use breathalyzer is helpful because it has several usages. Firstly, it monitors the BAC of people so they can stay safe. Intoxication while driving can lead to fatal crashes. Hence, police officers do random breath tests. People can avoid problems like charges and penalties by testing their BAC before leaving. They can either wait for their BAC to go down, or they can contact a loved one to pick them up.

Secondly, it manages their alcohol intake. They can blow into a breathalyzer after each drinking episode that they have. If they are controlling their consumption due to personal or legal reasons, they can check if they are staying at a level that is set for them to follow.

Lastly, it checks their level for the workplace. Some companies want the work environment to be alcohol-free, while others need it to be that way. This is because protecting the peace, harmony, and productivity in the workplace is important for the business. Employees who had a drink before going to the office can take a test to ensure that they are not legally intoxicated.

How to Use The Device

Here is the step-by-step process for using a one-time version of breath testers:

  • Take off the caps attached to the breathalyzer.
  • Discard the contents of the tube by shaking it. The crystals inside a device are harmless but are used for keeping the other components dry.
  • Blow through the mouthpiece in one long breath. Make sure to inflate the bag fully.
  • Insert the end of the tube into the bag.
  • Squeeze the bag evenly to ensure that the contents would go to the tube.
  • Check the result by checking if the colour passes through the line.

Holding a glass of liquor together with a car key

Advantages of One Use Breathalyzer

People can find many advantages to having one use breathalyzers. Firstly, they can remain safe and free. Those who have a breath tester can easily check if they can manage to drive based on the results. They can refuse to drink more if they are almost over the limit. This way, they can avoid road accidents and face penalties.

Secondly, individuals can have a quick and convenient tool to aid them. It is helpful to have packs of one-time testers inside their cars for immediate access whenever they drink outside. It is especially true if the person does not drink that much, meaning they get intoxicated quickly. Light drinkers do not need to use an electronic device for multiple uses, yet it is still beneficial.

Lastly, they can have it for a low price. This version is generally less expensive than traditional breathalyzer units. Thus, they can save more from buying it. However, heavy drinkers and those who drink constantly need to use it more often; hence, an electronic unit can be more suitable for them.

Advantages of Breath Test Over Other Methods

It is also good to know why a breath test, in general, is better than other testing methods, such as blood alcohol and urine tests. One reason is both types mentioned are quite invasive, while a breath test is not. The process only requires them to breathe into the breathalyzer, and it would produce the result.

A breath test also provides results much faster than others. For instance, it may take several weeks before people can receive their blood tests for alcohol detection. However, a breathalyzer can show the result in minutes for one-time versions, while it can take only seconds for most devices.

A man showing a breathalyzer and its mobile application

Disadvantages of One Use Breathalyzer

The one use breathalyzers have advantages, but they also have their disadvantages. One of which is the tendency to be inaccurate. The accuracy of breathalyzers is vital. Otherwise, it can cause inconveniences and accidents. For instance, the result of their unit indicates that they are within the legal limit and choose to drive, but if it is not accurate, they can put their lives and those of others in danger.

Another disadvantage of this version of the breathalyzer is it takes a longer time to produce results compared to other units. BACtrack units like Trace Pro Gen2 from Breathalysers New Zealand can provide the BAC result in 10-15 seconds. On the other hand, a disposable breath tester results can take up to two minutes.

Furthermore, it is not as technologically advanced as other breathalyzers. It is not an electronic device, unlike traditional breathalyzers. Some units can even connect to Bluetooth to access their mobile application. The feature allows people to track their alcohol intake easily as it shows their history.

Alternatives

Since there is awareness of the performance of a one use breath tester, people can purchase a more reliable breathalyzer. It can be more cost-effective in the long run. Based on its name, one-time testers are disposable after using it once. Meanwhile, they can use an electronic breathalyzer multiple times.

They can visit Breathalysers New Zealand to see the various options that they have. One positive factor of buying from them is that they offer regular calibration for devices that may require it to maintain accuracy. The process they provide makes it easy for customers to go through.

Conclusion

A one use breathalyzer is a beneficial tool in determining if people are safe to drive or not. It has several advantages, like the fact that it is more convenient and more affordable than other units. However, they should keep in mind that since it is not electronic, it is more susceptible to inaccuracies. Hence, they should weigh the pros and cons of each unit that they are planning to buy to make the most out of the purchase.

Those who are heavy drinkers and want to manage their alcohol intake can find a more suitable tool in traditional breathalyzers. They can buy from trusted brands like BACtrack. Some units are even on par with what police officers use. Thus, they can be sure that it is reliable. Moreover, some devices may require regular recalibration for optimum performance and more accurate readings.

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