Drinking/Driving Law & Procedure

Week 2: Forensic Toxicology and BAC

Reading AssignmenT

• Barbour, Simplified Estimation of Widmark 'R' Values 41 Sci. & Jus. 53
• Fitzgerald, Intoxication Test Evidence, Chapters 2 & 3
• Nichols & Whited, Drinking/Driving Litigation, Chapter 14

Recommended Reading

• Gas Chromatograph (Blood Test) Manual
• Intoxilyzer (Breath Test) Documents

Writing Assignment:

Post a comment on each discussion thread located here.

Outline for Week Two

1. The Basics of Blood and Breath Alcohol Measurements
   1. BrAC usually measured by infrared spectrophotometry or
      electrochemical test
      1. Henry's Law
      2. Partition ratio
      3. BAC usually measured by gas chromatography
2. The Basics of Alcohol Metabolism
   1. Absorption
   2. Distribution
   3. Elimination
3. The Rise and Fall of the BAC
4. Widmark the Pioneer
   1. Additional scholarship
   2. Barbour's 'r' values
5. The Mythical Widmark 'Average Person'
6. Predictions using the Widmark formula
   1. Predicting number of drinks from BAC
   2. Predicting BAC from drinking history