There are many myths that surround DUI-related crimes. They’re all over the Internet, and there’s always some friend of a friend who swears he beat the system in some bizarre way.

We don’t want you to get busted for DUI because you believed some silly myths. So today, we’re going to break down the five we hear the most often.

1. You can lower your BAC by eating and/or drinking coffee

Eating something after the consumption will have no effect on the concentration of alcohol in the blood. Neither will drinking coffee, though the caffeine will help clear your head a bit. The only thing that lowers your blood alcohol levels (BAC) is time – and you need a lot more time than you think.

The highest level of BAC generally happens after an hour or more past the time of the last drink. It takes time for the body to catch up to the consumption, so you really need a few – or several – hours before the alcohol starts to leave your system.

2. DUIs only apply to driving cars

DUI charges are not limited to cars, trucks, and SUVs. Operating any type of motorized vehicles, including boats, ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet-skis, and go carts, under the influence of alcohol can land you a DUI.

3. You can lower your BAC with breath spray

This is definitely not true. In fact, some breath sprays contain traces of alcohol which will certainly not lower your BAC. In addition, the officer who stopped who may suspect if you have quickly doused some breath spray, and that may cause suspicion on the part of the officer, creating a worse situation for you.

For the record? You’re not fooling that cop with a quick rinse of Listerine or a piece of gum, either.

4. Breathalyzers are always accurate indicators of DUI

The accuracy and reliability of breathalyzers is debatable. The blood test is really the only proven procedure for accurately assessing BAC. A breathalyzer administered to a driver on the field may provide an estimate of the alcohol on your breath, but it can also give an inaccurate reading for reasons that include improper calibration and human error.

Those home breathalyzers you can buy? They’re even worse. Don’t think you can trust a personal breathalyzer to tell you if you’re past the limit. You can’t.

5. A penny in the mouth can trick the breathalyzer

This is a widespread myth that far too many people believe. The presence of metal in the mouth will not alter the way in which a breathalyzer detects the presence of alcohol. Besides – law enforcement officers are trained to ask you to remove anything from your mouth before blowing into the breathalyzer.

These myths only serve to confuse and complicate situations relating to DUI checks and arrests. And while there are variables than can affect a breath or blood test, believe us when we say that nothing you can do on the fly is going to help.

If you’ve been pulled over for, or charged with, a DUI in Knoxville, you need a fighter for a lawyer. The team of Knoxville DUI attorneys at Banks & Jones offers you the legal support you need. To schedule a consultation about your case, give our team a call today at 865.546.2141 or use our contact form to leave us a message. We Fight 2 Win Your Freedom!