Are the results of a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) admissible in court?

The correct response regarding the admissibility of Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) results in court is that they are not admissible. This is due to several factors surrounding the reliability and the specific legal framework for using PBT results.

PBTs are often utilized by law enforcement as a preliminary screening tool to assess if a driver may be under the influence of alcohol. However, the results of these tests are generally considered to be less reliable than more formal testing methods, such as the Intoxilyzer or blood tests. Various courts have ruled that PBTs do not meet the necessary criteria for scientific reliability and thus do not hold sufficient weight to be presented as evidence in court.

In addition, PBT results are typically not used to establish guilt but rather to assist officers in making initial determinations about whether to arrest someone for driving under the influence. This aligns with the understanding that a PBT is not a definitive measure of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) but rather an initial indication that there may be impairment.

Given this context, the PBT's inherent limitations and its role in the arrest process underscore why the courts do not accept them as admissible evidence.