By the time a New Hampshire police officer tells a driver, it’s time for a breath test, the officer has already been watching the driver for some time. Police officers are trained to look for and remember clues that indicate a driver is intoxicated. Often, a police officer will require the driver to perform one or more NH field sobriety tests, such as a one-leg stand or a walk-and-turn test, before administering a breath test.
Preliminary breath testing gives a police officer an approximate reading of the driver’s blood alcohol concentration or BAC. In New Hampshire, driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher is illegal and usually results in a DUI arrest. What the breath test does not do, however, is tell the officer how impaired the driver is. The same amount of alcohol may cause a great deal of impairment or very little, depending on the driver’s size, whether the driver has had anything to eat, the driver’s personal tolerance of alcohol, as well as other factors. Drivers who are asked to perform a preliminary breath test in New Hampshire face penalties if they refuse. Even if the driver consents, however, a breath test must be performed correctly in order to be accurate.
Experienced New Hampshire drunk driving attorneys like those at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. know what to look for in the events that surround a driver’s arrest. We will review the details of your case thoroughly and fight to win the best possible outcome. For a free and confidential case evaluation, call Tenn And Tenn, P.A. today at (603) 614-5055.