If you’ve spent any time around DUI myths, you’ve probably heard this one: suck on a penny before a breathalyzer test and the copper will neutralize the alcohol on your breath. It sounds plausible enough to spread – but is there any truth to it? The short answer is no. The longer answer is worth understanding before you find yourself on the side of a Georgia road making a decision that could affect your case.
Few things are more stressful than seeing flashing lights in your rearview mirror after a night of drinking alcohol. Indeed, not only can driving under the influence of alcohol land you in a jail cell, but it also can cause you to lose your driver’s license.
Luckily, no police officer can arrest you on a whim. In fact, officers must have a legally valid reason, known as probable cause, to put you in handcuffs. Because failing a DUI breath test gives officers probable cause, you might be looking for some way to trick the test.
The old penny myth
For decades now, many individuals have believed that sucking on a coin can throw off a DUI breath test. This old myth has some basis in fact. When DUI testing was in its infancy, metals could interfere with a test’s results. This is no longer the case, however, as test manufacturers have improved their products significantly.
Does sucking on a coin fool a breathalyzer test?
No. Sucking on a penny, nickel, or any other coin does not affect the results of a breathalyzer test. Modern breathalyzers measure deep lung air, not surface mouth conditions, and are not chemically influenced by copper or other common metals. Attempting to manipulate a breath test in Georgia can also raise additional legal concerns and is not a reliable defense strategy.
Where did the coin trick come from?
The myth likely originated from a misunderstanding of how older breath testing technology worked. Early breathalyzer models were less sophisticated and, in theory, could be influenced by certain mouth contaminants. The idea that copper could interfere with an alcohol reading circulated enough to take on a life of its own.
Modern breathalyzers – including the devices used by law enforcement in Georgia – are far more accurate and specifically designed to filter out mouth alcohol and other interference. The coin trick doesn’t work, and attempting it won’t help your case.
How Do Georgia Breathalyzers Actually Work?
Georgia law enforcement uses evidential breath testing devices that measure the concentration of alcohol in deep lung air, also called alveolar air. When you breathe into the device, it captures air from deep in your respiratory system – not surface-level mouth air.
This matters because the alcohol reading is based on what’s in your bloodstream and lungs, not what’s sitting on your tongue or teeth. A coin, mouthwash, breath mint, or anything else in your mouth has no meaningful effect on that reading.
Georgia’s approved devices are also programmed to detect and flag potential interference, including residual mouth alcohol. If the machine detects an irregularity, it typically requires the test to be retaken rather than producing a skewed result.
Can Anything Actually Affect a Breathalyzer Reading?
While coins don’t work, there are legitimate factors that can affect breath test accuracy — and these are the kinds of issues a defense attorney may examine in a DUI case.
- Mouth alcohol: If you recently burped, belched, or regurgitated before the test, residual alcohol in your mouth can temporarily affect a reading. Georgia law requires a 20-minute observation period before administering a breath test specifically to guard against this — but that protocol isn’t always followed correctly.
- Medical conditions: Certain conditions, including acid reflux, GERD, and diabetes, can affect breath test readings. Some diabetics produce compounds called ketones that older devices could misread as alcohol.
- Device calibration: Breathalyzers must be properly maintained and calibrated on a regular schedule. If a device was overdue for calibration or improperly serviced, the results may be challengeable.
- Operator error: The officer administering the test must be trained and certified. Errors in procedure can be grounds for challenging the admissibility of the results.
What is Georgia’s Implied Consent law?
When you drive on Georgia roads, you are considered to have given implied consent to chemical testing – including breath, blood, or urine tests – if law enforcement has probable cause to believe you are impaired. This means that if an officer asks you to submit to a breathalyzer after a lawful DUI stop, refusing has consequences.
Under Georgia law, refusing a breath test can result in a license suspension. It also does not prevent prosecution – officers can seek a warrant for a blood draw in some circumstances, and the refusal itself can be used as evidence in court.
Understanding your rights and obligations at the time of a DUI stop is critical. What you do in those first moments can significantly affect the outcome of your case.
The way you present yourself
In any roadside stop, you do not want to do anything that makes matters worse. Because patrol officers have heard about the old penny myth, putting a coin in your mouth may do just that. That is, if you have a coin in your mouth, officers are likely to know you are trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
Beyond that, you should know just how filthy coinage is.
According to reporting from LendEDU, coins have thousands of bacteria on them. Ultimately, if you try to beat a DUI charge by sucking on a penny or any other coin, you might become quite ill.