Fort Worth DWI Chemical Test Defense Lawyer

What Are Considered Chemical Tests for DWIs in Texas?

There are several DWI tests that the police may conduct, but the three main chemical tests are blood, breath, and urine tests:

• Blood Tests - Blood tests tend to be the most accurate of the three. They also tend to be the most inconvenient and expensive of the three because they sometimes have to be administered at a hospital instead of at the police station. An officer will probably only request this if he or she feels the breathalyzer is inaccurate.
• Breath Tests - Breath tests tend to be the most commonly used tests. The breath test administered at the police station is different than the Preliminary Alcohol Screening used on the roadside, where a variety of factors, like car exhaust, can influence the results. The breath tests administered at the police station are more accurate, but again, they are not perfect. For example, some defendants think that using mints or mouthwash will “fool” a breathalyzer test, but this will not work; if anything, mouthwash contains alcohol and may raise your BAC slightly. However, the accuracies of breath tests can be challenged in court by a skilled DWI defense attorney. Breath tests need to be recalibrated to ensure accuracy, and various factors like body temperature can affect readings. Fort Worth DWI lawyer, Bryan Wilson can request the device’s data to prove errors in misapplied breath tests.
• Urine Tests - The least common of the chemical tests, urine tests take a longer time to process because they must be sent to an off-site lab. Most jurisdictions choose not to use them, since they are more inconvenient and about the same accuracy as the other tests.