Breath and Blood Tests in Arizona
DUI (driving under the influence) is prosecuted very severely in Arizona. Law enforcement officers will do whatever is needed to help ensure the safety of our roads. If you are pulled over for a suspected DUI, a police officer may ask to measure your BAC (blood alcohol concentration). In order to measure your BAC and determine the amount of alcohol in your system, a blood, breath or urine test may be performed. In Arizona, a BAC level of 0.08% to 0.014% is charged as a typical DUI, and a BAC level of 0.15% or higher is charged as an extreme DUI. If you refuse to take any blood or breath tests a police officer may obtain a warrant over the telephone that will allow for law enforcement to administer these tests against your will. The reason for such an extreme measure is due to Arizona’s implied consent law, which states when anyone is issued an Arizona state driver’s license that they agree at that time to submit to a blood alcohol test if they are suspected of driving under the influence.
There are several ways that your BAC is typically determined, the first being by a blood test. A person licensed to draw blood will insert a needle into your arm and obtain a sample of blood. The alcohol content in your blood will then be measured by lab personnel, showing a reading that is considered to be extremely accurate. The second test that may be administered is a breath test used to measure your breath alcohol level, which should be approximate to your blood alcohol level. It is measured by the concentration of alcohol in the deep lung region called the "alveoli” by a breathalyzer machine. In order to obtain this type of reading you will be asked by a law official to blow into a device that will then determine your breath alcohol level. A third test that can also be given is a urine test. It is typically given as a last resort to measure your BAC if a breath or blood tests are unable to be obtained.
Phoenix, Arizona Driving Under the Influence Lawyers
At Beauchamp Law Office, our Arizona criminal defense lawyers provide legal representation to drivers facing DUI charges. In order to obtain a successful outcome for your driving under the influence case, it is important to work with a professional attorney. Phoenix DUI attorney Melanie Beauchamp has been practicing criminal law for over 17 years. She is well-educated with all current laws and clearly understands the seriousness of the charges that you may be facing. Attorney Beauchamp has defended many complex DUI cases and is well aware of many defense strategies that can be presented against any breath and blood tests that may have been administered to test your blood alcohol level.
Contact Beauchamp Law Office today so that we may begin protecting your rights and maintaining your freedom! At Beauchamp Law Office our attorneys provide DUI defense to clients in the cities and surrounding areas of Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Questions about breath and blood testing? Contact Beauchamp Law Office today!
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