Estimating BAC
After a few drinks at a bar or restaurant, you may feel that you are perfectly capable of driving your vehicle home safely. However, no matter how sober you feel, it is illegal for you to be behind the wheel if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is above .08%. Since different people are susceptible to the effects of alcohol in different ways, it can be hard to determine whether you are under or over the legal limit. If you think that your BAC is too high for you to drive legally, you should sober up for a few hours or have a designated driver take you home.
Blood alcohol content can only be calculated with complete accuracy using a blood test; all other tests rely on a conversion factor and vary in their accuracy. However, it is possible to get a rough estimate of your BAC by taking note of the number and type of drinks you consume and referencing a BAC chart. BAC charts are widely available from safe driving organizations, and provide estimates of a person’s BAC based on his or her weight.
BAC Estimates Based on Body Weight
For example, within an hour of consuming alcohol, a person who weighs 120 pounds will have the following estimated BAC:
- After one drink: .032
- After two drinks: .064
- After three drinks: .096
For a person weighing 180 pounds:
- After one drink: .021
- After two drinks: .042
- After three drinks: .063
- After four drinks: .084
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