When you think about the kinds of tests that can show if you’re intoxicated, you might think of the standard urine tests, Breathalyzer tests and blood tests. Of them, blood tests are usually thought to be the most accurate, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be wrong.
Did you know that a DWI blood test does have the potential to be inaccurate if the blood is drawn at the wrong time, mixed with the wrong solution or contaminated in the test tube?
There are a few reasons why DWI blood tests should be scrutinized. Here are three.
- The test was taken long after the arrest
To start with, the test needs to be taken as soon after the traffic stop and arrest as possible. Why? Alcohol builds up in the body over time after you have a drink. It’s completely possible that you could have been sober when you were stopped and that your blood alcohol concentration increased in the time it took to seek out the blood test. This is why you should question the accuracy of the test results.
- The test tube chemicals must be balanced
Something your attorney should look into is the type of test tube used for the test and the chemical components inside. If there wasn’t enough (or was too much) of the potassium oxalate or sodium fluoride, then there is a chance that the blood test results could be inaccurate.
- Storage problems lead to contamination
Finally, DWI blood test results should be scrutinized because there is a risk that contamination led to fermentation. If bacteria gets into the test tube, there is a chance that the bacteria could ferment the blood and lead to inaccurate test results.
Get help defending yourself after a DWI arrest
After any DWI accusation, it’s important to look into ways of defending yourself. One such way of doing so is to question the validity of any BAC test, whether it’s a test using your breath sample or one looking at your blood. These tests can be wrong, so it’s always worth verifying that they were performed correctly.