Find Out How Blood Alcohol Content Affects Your Ability to Drive

In each state, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or more. However, because all of us will absorb and metabolize alcohol at different rates, there’s no firm formulas for determining exactly how many drinks will lead to precise BAC level. With the help of The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), we’ll take a look at how an average person reacts at different BAC levels.

What is blood alcohol concentration and how is it measured?

Essentially, alcohol is absorbed in our bodies through the walls of the stomach and small intestine before eventually getting into the bloodstream and then being absorbed by the liver. The alcohol level is measured by its weight in a certain volume of blood. Your BAC is typically analyzed with a breathalyzer or through a blood test.

Effects of Blood Alcohol Concentration on the Average Driver

BAC	PHYSICAL EFFECTS	PROBABLE EFFECTS ON DRIVING
.02%	Some loss of judgement Altered mood Relaxation Slight body warmth	Decline in visual functions, such as ability to rapidly track a moving object Weakened ability to perform 2 tasks at the same time
.05%	Impaired judgement Lowered alertness and inhibition Exaggerated behavior	Weakened coordination Difficulty steering
.08%	Muscle coordination becomes poor (problems with balance, speech, vision and reaction time) Self-control, reasoning and memory become impaired	Ability to process information (recognizing traffic signals, etc.) is reduced significantly Ability to concentrate is reduced Short-term memory is affected
.10%	Speech become slurred Increasingly poor coordination	Decreasing ability to stay in proper traffic lane Inability to brake appropriately
.15%	Significant loss of balance Vomiting Much less muscle control	Serious lack of ability to control vehicle or to maintain attention to driving Substantial impairment in processing visual and audio cues.

 

If You’re Facing DUI Charges in Arizona, Call The Oswalt Law Group

We hope you can use the chart above to gauge the effects of alcohol on your body and your reflexes. If you’re facing DUI charges in Arizona, you need an experienced lawyer on your side for the best hopes of having the charges reduces or dismissed altogether. The first consultation is always free, so call us here at The Oswalt Law Group. Our number is 602-225-2222.