Whether you are driving to see your relatives in far flung parts of the UK or Ireland or simply off on a mini-break, Easter presents the perfect time of year to enjoy the new season.  And while the countryside might be glowing in the Spring sunshine, catkins waving in the breeze and spring flowers everywhere; it can present some challenges from winding lanes with minimal visibility, wet roads, flooded low-lying areas, along with misty mornings and the occasional shower or even sleet.

If the weather is unpredictable at this time of year, there is one thing you can control and that is not to take chances when you’ve been drinking alcohol the night before you drive.  Of course, most of us would never consume alcohol prior to getting behind the wheel but it’s not so easy to ensure that you have zero alcohol in your system the next morning.

The AlcoSense Elite 3

So, the AlcoSense Elite 3 personal breathalyser could become an invaluable companion for your trip.  Recommended by car bible Auto Express, it sits atop of the AlcoSense entry level breathalysers that use semi-conductor sensors.  In fact, it offers unrivalled friendliness and accuracy at this price.

It has been designed by AlcoSense’s UK design team to be as easy as possible to use, fitting in the palm of your hand.  To activate the breathalyser all you do is turn it on and it will count down to zero while it prepares the sensor.  Then it will display the blow symbol on screen.  Blow through the tube for around six seconds until it beeps.  A few seconds later your results will be shown in increments of 0.01, giving you total clarity on your alcohol level.

Traffic light colour-coded results

The AlcoSense Elite 3 uses a traffic light colour-coded results system and will easily show you if you are near to or over your chosen limit which you can set to any of the three limits in place in the UK and Ireland.  When you blow a Green LO result, that indicates below 0.10%o BAC i.e. no or trace alcohol.  An amber screen shows that your result is below your set drink drive limit and gives you your alcohol reading.  A Red screen shows that you are close to or over your set limit and will display the ‘don’t drive’ symbol.

You can set the Elite 3 to alert you when you are close to or over any Irish or UK limit including 0.20%oBAC which is the Irish limit for professional and novice drivers.  The Scottish and Irish limit for all other drivers is 0.50%oBAC and 0.80%oBAC for the rest of the UK and the Channel Islands.  Changing the limits when you drive between the territories is easy and literally takes seconds to do.

 

The latest Semi-Conductor sensor technology

Utilising the highest specification of Semi-Conductor alcohol sensor technology available, the Elite 3 features a premium 28mm2 alcohol sensor with in-built air flow sensors to increase the accuracy of the breathalyser in real world use (not just in a lab).  Every AlcoSense unit is tested for accuracy three times before leaving the factory and has an industry leading accuracy of +/-2%oBAC which is unique in this price range.

The most accurate concentration of alcohol in the breath is in the deep lung air and can only be measured after 1.2 litres of air has been blown out.  The Elite 3 doesn’t measure the volume of breath blown out but it does sample the breath for six seconds, which for the average person, will include deep lung air.  Rival breathalysers at this price point typically take samples over less than 4 seconds and only sample air from the throat.  This can make then slightly easier to blow into but significantly reduces accuracy.  If you do not blow for long enough, the Elite 3 will alert you and you can retake the test.

To make life even easier, the AlcoSense Elite 3 will store the last nine test results which can be easily accessed by pressing and holding the history button on the front of the breathalyser.  Then scroll through the results by clicking the same button again.

If you require even more accuracy, check out the AlcoSense Excel or AlcoSense Pro personal breathalysers further up the range.  And if you are a professional driver, the AlcoSense Ultra should meet all your needs.

Auto Sensor Cleaning

Keeping a Semi-Conductor breathalyser sensor clean and free from oxidisation is essential for long term accuracy and performance.  The AlcoSense Elite 3 automatically performs a sensor clean after every time it is used and periodically performs a deep sensor clean, helping to keep the sensor in top condition and reading at its most accurate.  This allows it to perform at its best throughout its lifetime.  The Elite 3 now features a calibration reminder after 12 months or 300 tests so that you can easily remember to have it recalibrated and ensure ongoing accuracy.  Simply send it back to AlcoSense and they will do the rest.

The Design

In short, the Elite 3 is a sleek pocket sized breathalyser that can be kept discretely anywhere.  It measures only 110mm (h) x 51mm (w) x 20mm (d) and is powered by 3 x AAA batteries (included in the pack) which means that you can use it anywhere at any time.  Designed in the UK by AlcoSense Laboratories award winnng design team, it shares the same design DNA as the AlcoSense Excel, the AlcoSense Pro and the AlcoSense Ultra.  AlcoSense Laboratories has won more independent group tests and awards for the performance of its breathalysers than any other brand in the UK.

Part of the responsible enjoyment of alcohol is to understand its effect on the body and to understand when you are safe to drive.  An AlcoSense breathalyser helps people do exactly that and takes out the potentially fatal guess work of driving the morning after the night before.  Don’t leave it to chance and enjoy your Easter break.

The AlcoSense Excel costs £69.99 inc VAT and is retailed online and instore at Halfords or instore at Boots.  it is also available from AlcoSense directly at alcosense.co.uk