I have Type II diabetes, but don use insulin. Can this condition cause acetone that can produce a higher Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) test result?
Diabetes is a very common disease in this country. It is estimated that 15 to 20% of all drivers are diabetics. A motorist experiencing low blood sugar can suffer slurred speech, weakness, loss of coordination, problems with balance, confusion, impaired vision and inability to function with divided attention. The same symptoms an officer is looking for in a driver impaired by alcohol. Unfortunately, the breath machine is not guaranteed to expose the officer’s mistake. The Intoxilyzer 5000, presently in use in Virginia does not measure the amount of alcohol in the blood. Instead, the box uses infrared light shined through the subject’s breath to indirectly determine quantity of alcohol. Unfortunately for the accuracy of the test, the light beams are absorbed by any compound (including ethanol) that contacts the “methyl group” within its molecular structure. The box assumes that the only thing absorbing light is ETOH. The greater the absorption, the higher the bac reading. Unfortunately,
