Tennessee Highway Patrol moving to use breathalyzers

NASHVILLE (WDEF) – WSMV in Nashville reports that the Tennessee Highway Patrol is changing its tune on breathalyzers.

The agency has not used them in the past.

But after a series of reports by the station found dozens of cases where Tennesseans were charged with DUI even though they had not been drinking, the THP is changing.

The agency tells the station they are currently ordering breathalyzers for troopers.

The argument by many law enforcement officials is that the devices are not as accurate as blood tests.

But TBI officials don’t know why they think that.

They say if more agencies used them, it would greatly cut down on the backlog of blood test results now in Tennessee.