EVALUATION OF PORTABLE BREATH TEST DEVICES FOR SCREENING SUSPECTED DRUNKEN DRIVERS BY POLICE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 15459
• Author(s): S D ROSEN; B H SIELAFF; F ROMSLO; V E WECKWERTH; F LOWERY; R A MONS; D M KRAMER
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 144 pages
• Contract Number(s): DOT-HS-048-1-064
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Admin
• Corporate Author: Hennepin Cty
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REPORT ON THE FIRST PHASE OF FIELD EVALUATION OF THE BORG WARNER ALERT PORTABLE BREATH TEST (PBT) DEVICE.

Abstract

THIS PBT UNIT EMPLOYS A LIGHT-INDICATOR, WHICH COULD BE CALIBRATED TO SELECTED BREATH ALCOHOLIC CONTENT (BAC) RANGES, TO SIGNAL THE PRESENCE AND LEVEL OF ALCOHOL INTOXICATION. THIRTEEN DEVICES WERE DEPLOYED IN SEVEN DIFFERENT ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DURING A 4-MONTH PERIOD. SQUADS CARRYING PBT'S MADE 978 TRAFFIC STOPS DUE TO SUSPECTED DRIVER INTOXICATION. THE ALERT UNIT WAS USED IN 898 OF THESE STOPS. FORTY-EIGHT PER CENT OF THE PBT TESTS RESULTED IN A 'FAIL', 33 PER CENT IN A 'WARN', AND 19 PER CENT IN A 'PASS'. OFFICERS RATED DRIVER PERFORMANCE BOTH ON PHYSICAL SIGNS TESTS AND PBT TEST RESULTS. A COMPARISON OF THESE TWO RATINGS INDICATED THAT PHYSICAL SIGNS WERE UNRELIABLE INDICATORS OF DRIVER INTOXICATION. NEARLY 62 PER CENT OF THOSE DRIVERS FAILING THE PBT HAD BEEN RATED 'FAIR' OR 'GOOD' IN PERFORMANCE ON THE BALANCE TEST.