Eric Peters

About the author: Eric Peters is a journalist based in Washington, D.C., who frequently writes about the impact of automotive regulations on consumers.

The PAS (passive alcohol sensor) III Sniffer is a new device that police departments are using to detect drunk drivers. The Sniffer is built into a flashlight and can estimate a driver's blood-alcohol content by sampling exhaled breath as the driver responds to an officer's questions during a routine traffic stop. Supporters of PAS devices argue that they give police an effective tool to catch dangerous drunks who might otherwise pass undetected through sobriety checkpoints. But these devices subject drivers to an unreasonable search by taking breath samples without the driver's knowledge or consent. "Sniffing" all drivers stopped by police officers before signs of...