There are a variety of reasons why you may need alcohol testing. Some employees, specifically those in the transportation sector like school bus operators, aviation and mass transit workers, have pre-employment screenings. In 2005, CBS News reported that a Boston high school introduced Breathalyzers to campus and the prom to help thwart underage drinking and violence. In effort to prevent deaths and accidents associated with drinking and driving, police can conduct field-sobriety testing.
Field Sobriety Test
If a police officer pulls you over and suspects you’re driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he can request that you perform a field sobriety test. While field sobriety tests are voluntary in most states, declining to take one may give the officer probable cause for arrest.
The National Highway Transportation Services Administration, or the NHTSA, explains that the Standardized Field Sobriety Test, SFST, is a series of three tests. The officer determines if your eyes show signs of unintended jerking, which can indicate intoxication; he will also evaluate your balance and your ability to listen and follow directions. Sixty-eight percent of people who have two or more indicators for intoxication in the test, according to the NHTSA, will have a blood alcohol concentration of .10 or more.
Breathalyzer
The Breathalyzer is a trademarked product developed for measuring blood alcohol content. Breathalyzer has since become the general term used to describe all breath-screening devices. According to the NHTSA, in many jurisdictions, the results of a breath testing instrument is not admissible as evidence of a DUI, but rather, it provides the arresting officer with objective information for establishing arrest and administering further testing.
For employers, alcohol breath tests can be used to determine if you should be relieved from the job for a day, or terminated, according to Occupational Health Services, a California-based employee drug testing company. Your company will inform you of its drug and alcohol testing policy prior to offering you a position. While you have the right to refuse testing, your contract could stipulate automatic termination if you do so.
Blood Alcohol Test
Patrick T. Barone, a Michigan attorney and member of the National College for DUI defense, writes that in the case of a DUI–driving under the influence of a substance–blood may be drawn after the suspect refuses to have his breath analyzed for alcohol. While the laws of each state are different, Aaron Larson, also an attorney in Michigan, reports that an officer will inform you of your rights regarding drug or alcohol testing. When your blood is drawn by an authorized professional like a medical technologist or registered nurse, he will create a file of information including the time the test is taken, the procedures used in conducting the test, your identity and the identity of the person for whom the test was conducted. This information is gathered for use if your case goes to trial.
