Are you a diabetic? Many people throughout the world have diabetes, and it continues to be a growing problem here in the US. According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2012, 29.1 million Americans, which is about 9.3% of the population, had diabetes. Current figures are likely even higher, so more and more Americans are having to deal with the repercussions of this disease in their daily lives.
Dealing with shifting blood sugar levels can be a real hassle, as anyone who has diabetes can tell you. Even just getting through a normal day can feel like a real challenges when low or high blood sugar levels affect every minute of every activity.
Not just that, though – blood sugar levels can even lead to a criminal charge. How, you ask?
Well, just about every diabetic has experienced hypoglycemia, which is also known as low blood sugar levels. The symptoms of hypoglycemia are often very similar to intoxication. Slow and slurred speech, poor balance, impaired motor abilities, and the appearance of being drowsy, flushed, and disoriented are all symptoms of hypoglycemia and intoxication.
As a result, if someone who is experiencing hypoglycemia is taking a field sobriety test, they may very well fail, even though they aren’t intoxicated at all.
It gets worse:
After administering field sobriety tests, the police officer will frequently ask the driver to take a blood or breath test. Usually if the officer suspects alcohol intoxication, it will be a breath test. The problem is that if the driver is diabetic, the breath test may give an inaccurate result.
How could the breath test fail to be accurate?
Breathalyzers have been designed to measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC). A ratio is used to convert the alcohol in the breath to determine how much alcohol is in the body. It uses infrared beams of light which are absorbed by chemical compounds in the breath. Breathalyzers look for ethyl alcohol, which is commonly found in alcoholic drinks.
The issue arises when a diabetic with hypoglycemia developed ketoacidosis, a common condition caused by diabetes. It causes the development of acetone in the mouth and can be smelled on the breath. Breathlyzers can mistake acetone for ethyl alcohol and consequentially, result in overly high BAC readings.
Diabetic? Got arrested for DUI?
If you’re a diabetic who’s recently been arrested for DUI, don’t just accept the charge. Fight it with the help of Southern California’s most trusted DUI defense attorney, Dan Chambers of the Chambers Law Firm. He’s always studying scientific details about DUI cases in order to provide his clients with the most effective defense strategies possible.
Request a free consultation now
All potential clients are welcome to meet with Attorney Dan Chambers personally to discuss their case and receive valuable input backed by many years of experience as a top Southern California DUI defense attorney.
Schedule your first free consultation now by calling 714-760-4088, emailing dchambers@clfca.com, or using the chat box below. Attorney Chambers looks forward to speaking with you and providing you with impeccable DUI defense services throughout your case.
