Star Wars type alcohol DUI laser device coming to a City near you...Maybe

A new fangled Star Wars type laser device used to detect alcohol vapor has been created by Scientists in Poland.  This is some pretty crazy yet fascinating technology that has been developed.  Essentially its a laser device that can detect alcohol vapor like that which has been exhaled by someone who's been drinking.  Now the kicker is supposedly it can be detected inside a moving vehicle as it passes by the handheld device. 

This device is in the very early stages of development.  I guess it was successfully tested by aiming the laser at a car as it was passing by.  The car's interior had been filled up with alcohol vapor, my guess is probably a whole lot of this stuff.  Although I'm not quite sure what the alcohol vapor was but it was supposed to simulate someone's breath after they had been drinking.  

My guess is something like this is far off from ever being implemented by law enforcement.  The article I read about it pointed out several issues that have not been figured.  

First it doesn't appear the device could differentiate from a driver and a passenger.  Imagine getting pulled over for a DUI by this thing and the driver is stone cold sober and acting as the designated driver.  You think some 4th amendment issues there, probably.

Secondly there was some countermeasures that could be implemented.  For example opening the windows, or having tinted windows the laser could get through.  Additionally what if somebody was smoking or there was some other kind of vapor inside.  How could this laser get through.

As I stated, I highly doubt something like this gets implemented in the near future.  However you never know.  In the jurisdiction I practice, Seattle, WA DUI's are becoming more and more targeted.  It's just not people over the legal limit, but anyone who has any kind of alcohol in their system are being stopped, detained, and arrested.  

I know I sound like a broken record but it is not a good idea to drive in Seattle, WA if you have had anything to drink.  It won't matter to the Seattle Police nor the City of Seattle Prosecutor's office if you're under the legal limit.  They will still come after you so don't take the risk. 

If you're interested in reading more about this crazy laser device, here you go. 

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About the author:  Matthew Leyba is a practicing DUI Attorney in Seattle, WA.  He has been named on of the best Seattle DUI Attorneys numerous times by the Seattle Met Magazine.  Additionally he is rated a perfect 10 out of 10 by Avvo.com