Which of the following statements is true about BAC (blood alcohol content)?
- The breathalyzer is a test to determine a person's BAC. ✓
- A chemical test for BAC is needed for an alcohol conviction.
- BAC levels are reduced by a person's physical fitness.
- After drinking, coffee or a cold shower will lower your BAC.
Answer: A. The breathalyzer is a test to determine a person's BAC.
The true statement is that the breathalyzer is a test used to determine a person's BAC.
Why this is the answer
The manual defines BAC as the percentage of alcohol in your blood and says it is normally measured through a chemical test of breath, blood, urine or saliva. A breathalyzer tests breath, so it fits the manual's description of how BAC is determined. The passages do not support the idea that a chemical test is required for an alcohol conviction; the manual notes that many people think chemical test evidence is required, which suggests that belief is a common misconception. Nothing in the passages says fitness, coffee or cold showers lower BAC.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. A chemical test for BAC is needed for an alcohol conviction. — The manual treats chemical test refusal as separate from guilt and notes that many people mistakenly think chemical test evidence is required, so a chemical test is not presented as necessary for an alcohol conviction.
- C. BAC levels are reduced by a person's physical fitness. — The passages do not say physical fitness reduces BAC; they describe BAC as the percentage of alcohol in the blood measured by chemical tests.
- D. After drinking, coffee or a cold shower will lower your BAC. — Coffee and cold showers are not listed as ways to lower BAC; the manual says BAC is normally determined by chemical tests of breath, blood, urine or saliva.
Remember it
Link BAC to measurement: the manual lists breath, blood, urine or saliva as the chemical tests used, so a breathalyzer fits that measurement role.