Olson Aaron
ARO Consulting LLC, PO Box 132, Hugo, MN, 55038, USA.
Forensic Sci Int Synerg. 2025 Apr 7;10:100584. doi: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2025.100584. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Breath alcohol testing is a cornerstone of impaired driving investigations, yet some individuals are physiologically unable to provide adequate breath samples, leading to charges of refusal despite efforts to comply. This paper presents seven case reports of individuals who failed to meet the minimum volume requirements of the DataMaster DMT breath alcohol analyzer due to factors such as age, gender, respiratory conditions, and smoking history. Despite seemingly genuine attempts to provide valid samples, these individuals were charged with refusing to submit to a chemical test. The case reports in this paper highlight the vulnerabilities in current testing protocols, including the one-size-fits-all volume requirement, equipment problems, measurement uncertainty, individual anxiety, operator bias, and lack of transparency. Proposed improvements include alternative testing methods (e.g., blood or urine), individualized volume requirements, enhanced operator training, slope-based sampling, changes in equipment design, regular volume calibration, mandatory data collection, and independent scientific review.
呼气酒精检测是酒驾调查的基石，但一些人由于生理原因无法提供足够的呼气样本，尽管他们努力配合，仍被指控拒绝检测。本文介绍了七例因年龄、性别、呼吸状况和吸烟史等因素未能达到DataMaster DMT呼气酒精分析仪最低体积要求的案例。尽管这些人看似真诚地试图提供有效的样本，但仍被指控拒绝接受化学测试。本文的案例报告突出了当前检测协议中的漏洞，包括一刀切的体积要求、设备问题、测量不确定性、个人焦虑、操作员偏见以及缺乏透明度。提议的改进措施包括替代检测方法（如血液或尿液检测）、个性化体积要求、加强操作员培训、基于斜率的采样、设备设计变更、定期体积校准、强制数据收集以及独立的科学审查。
