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Breathalyser myths busted for car insurance holders

17 Mar 2010

Posted by Dan Winters

Car insurance policyholders have been reminded that most of the urban myths about how to pass a breathalyser test are just fictitious.

AlcoSense outlined the facts when it comes to drink-driving following the recent prosecution of Welsh rugby player JPR Williams, who tried to trick the breathalyser by putting a penny under his tongue.

The company explained that this does not work and neither does drinking strong coffee to sober up.

Car insurance policyholders should also be aware that holding their breath before the test actually has the opposite effect and makes the reading artificially high, it explained.

"Breathalysers are pretty foolproof devices and if you have been drinking there is no escaping a positive result," said Hunter Abbott chief executive of AlcoSense. "The best advice for anyone who has had a drink is, don't drive."

Transport secretary Lord Adonis recently told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the government is considering cutting the drink-drive limit.