South Carolina's Breath Testing Machine
BREATHALYZER
From 1966 until 1991, South Carolina used
the Stephenson Breathalyzer (Note: Stephenson sold the
rights to the Breathalyzer machine to Smith & Wesson
Corporation who later sold it to National Draeger). The
Breathalyzer is no longer used in South Carolina (nor
in many other states!). However, everyone erroneously
uses the word Breathalyzer to indicate the breath testing
machine even though the breath testing machine in South
Carolina is the DATAMASTER.
DATAMASTER
The Datamaster machine uses infrared spectroscopy
(technology) as the basis for determining the quantity
of alcohol in a person's breath (it converts that reading
to denote the reading as "blood alcohol'). South Carolina
is one of few states that does not require two (or more)
breath tests (as confirmatory of the first test).
Mr.
Joye has attended three days of instruction at the
manufacturer's plant on the theory and operation of the
Datamaster machine.
