States Approve of Alcohol Testing Devices in Automobiles

New alcohol testing devices that are installed into a previous alcohol offenders’ car ignition system are now required in Hawaii before they are able to drive. Called the ignition-interlock law, the in-car breathalyzer will prevent a car’s ignition to start if the breathalyzer detects alcohol. As the 47 th state to jump on board the initiative to decrease drunk driving accidents, it’s soon to be a nation wide standard. Only Alabama , South Dakota and Vermont do not have ignition interlock laws.

Alcohol testing devices come in a range of styles and uses. Besides the ignition interlock, saliva, sweat and urine alcohol testing devices are all common forms of blood alcohol testing that offer immediate results, only from recent consumption, never proving an abuser’s long term history. A police officer can pull over a drunk driver and receive immediate information about that person’s blood alcohol levels of alcohol consumed only hours ago, but what about testing a person’s alcohol consumption from the past six month stint? What if there was an alcohol testing device that could prevent deaths and accidents like the ignition-interlock alcohol testing device, by revealing a person’s alcohol abuse history, like rings on a tree? An alcohol prevention device does in fact exist; it’s called hair alcohol testing. A far less intrusive and accurate test that gives great results.

How The Hair Alcohol Testing Device Works

A small sample of scalp hair is taken from the base of the head and is then either shipped or delivered to the laboratory where several tests will be performed to see if certain metabolite markers show up on the hair shaft. These special markers only appear if the person has been drinking alcohol. One special test called EtG alcohol testing shows a history of abuse instead of hours or at most- a couple days like urine alcohol testing would. Actually, EtG testing can prove up to 12 months of alcohol abuse! Because this unique test allows, say the police force, to accurately see an offender’s drinking habits over a long term history, police are then able to make calculated decisions on how to respond to repeated offenders or perhaps a first time offender. Other organizations and the public find comfort in knowing a person’s long term alcohol history, for example:

• Courts, lawyers and social workers use hair alcohol testing in order to prove or just as importantly, disprove whether a person has a history of alcohol abuse


• Alcohol treatment centers can use the hair alcohol markers to test a patient’s progress.


• Employers looking to hire sober employees for high tech, or mentally demanding positions like pilots, surgeons and mechanics can use hair alcohol testing technology to get honest information about potential hires

Plus, unlike urine alcohol testing, breath or sweat, hair alcohol testing is about as non-evasive as one can get when it comes to alcohol testing. Alcohol testing devices like the ignition in-car breathalyzer combined with hair alcohol testing could keep drunk drivers off the road and also prove or disprove their alcohol history and or steps to recovery.