It is common for people in the Rochester area to refer to the breath test used to determine a driver’s blood alcohol content as a “breathalyzer” test.

The use of this term goes back many years. In its original meaning, it refers to a specific type of breath test machine that was widely used in New York State at one time.

The term “Breathalyzer” is actually a registered trademark.

Breathalyzers were a line of breath test machines that were originally manufactured by Smith and Wesson – a company better known for its firearms – beginning in the 1950s.

This line of breath test machines, along with the name, was eventually sold to National Draeger Inc., which continued to manufacture Breathalyzers for a number of years.

The Breathalyzer Model 900 and Model 900A were among the first widely used breath test machines in New York State.

These models were used throughout the Rochester area for decades before being replaced by newer designs starting in the late 1990s.

While most breath test machines currently in use rely on infrared spectrometry to determine the amount of alcohol in a breath sample, the Breathalyzer relied on what was referred to as a “wet chemical” process.

This involved the breath sample being passed through a solution containing a chemical that reacted with alcohol.

The reaction would cause the color of the solution to change, which impacted the amount of light that passed through the solution.

By measuring the change in the amount of light passing through the solution, the amount of alcohol in the sample could be determined.

While the Breathalyzer is no longer used in the Rochester area, the term has become so associated with taking the breath test that it is commonly used to refer to any breath test machine.

If you have been arrested for drinking and driving, we have years of experience in defending against the breath test. Call us at 585-484-7432.