In Georgia, law enforcement is able to request anyone under suspicion of driving under the influence to submit to a blood alcohol test. It is more invasive than a breath test and is also considered to be more accurate. But just how accurate is it really? Is a 0.08 percent or higher in a blood alcohol test going to be irrefutable evidence?
WebMD discusses what should be known about blood alcohol tests. First, your blood is drawn. It is then taken to a lab for testing, where the blood alcohol content (BAC) level will be determined. This is where the first potential hurdle can come in. Alcohol filters into the blood stream slowly after a drink is consumed. Your BAC level could be entirely different between the time you were driving and the time your blood is being drawn. It is possible for you to have been under the legal limit on the road even if your blood test shows it as being over.
Of course, human error is also a potential factor in the test results. Blood samples or the results themselves can potentially be switched around in a busy lab. It isn’t impossible for samples to become contaminated, either. Additionally, if blood samples are left out for too long, they can actually begin to spoil and coagulate. This can affect the reading and potentially cause a falsely high BAC level to be shown.
These are all important factors to consider when faced with the results from a blood test. As reliable as they are stated to be, they are not infallible.