How Much Is Too Much?
Most of us understand that driving drunk is irresponsible. But how many of us know how much drinking it actually takes to be considered "drunk," legally speaking?In all 50 states, the legal threshold defining drunk driving is a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08. But you may also be charged with "driving under the influence at .06 BAC. And even if your BAC is below .06 and you're technically "legal," you may still be significantly impaired - and thus a danger to yourself and others.
Blood-alcohol levels are dependent on several factors, not just how much you had to drink - including your weight, the time period over which the alcohol was consumed, the concentration of the alcohol consumed and (believe it or not) your sex and your age.
In addition, "legally drunk" and functionally impaired are not necessarily the same things.
Here's the rundown:
* Your weight
The heavier you are, the more alcohol it takes to reach a given BAC. For example, according the American Medical Association, a 180 pound man who consumes three 12 ounce beers over an hour will register a BAC of roughly .06 and be flirting with a DWI (or DUI) charge. On the other hand, a 220 pounder would probably still be under the legal threshold, BAC-wise, and escape a DWI/DUI charge, even though he had just as much to drink as the 180 pound person. On the other end of the scale, a 130 pound woman would probably hit .08 and be definitely drunk (legally speaking, at least) after having consumed the same three beers over the same one-hour period. The less you weigh, the faster you'll become drunk.
* Your sex
Women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and a lower percentage of stored body water than men and because alcohol is carried in body water (which includes the body's total blood volume), a woman will tend to reach a higher BAC level than a man of the same weight, even though she's had no more to drink than he has. The average male's body weight is 61 percent water; the average female's is 52 percent.
* Your age
As we get older, we tend to have less stored body water (males and females both), which means we're more affected/impaired by the same amount of alcohol than we were when we were younger. The average male's total volume of body water drops by about 10 percent after age 60.
* Your dining habits
The rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream is slowed somewhat by eating food while drinking - or by drinking after having eaten. A person who drinks on an empty stomach will have a slightly higher BAC than a person of the same weight and sex who drinks the same quantity of alcohol with food. The danger is that one may feel more "sober" when drinking with food - even though one's BAC level may be edging ever closer to the point at which it's time to call a cab.
* How quickly you drink
Down three shots in five minutes and your BAC will spike rapidly; the body needs time to metabolize the alcohol you consume - about an hour for each "drink" containing one half-ounce of alcohol. Because it takes about an hour to metabolize a single drink and your body can't metabolize alcohol at a faster rate than this, anything more than a single drink per hour will cause your BAC level to rise as the alcohol concentration in your system stacks up. For most people, two drinks over one hour is the absolute maximum that can be consumed without risking a DUI/DWI charge.
* What you drink
Alcohol is what gets you drunk - and it really doesn't matter what its color is or how it tastes. The quantity of alcohol is the thing to think about - not whether it's beer or whiskey, cheap or expensive. Six "drinks" or six pack, you'll be just as drunk. However, it's physically easier to inhale six mixed drinks than it is to drink six 12 ounce bottles of beer. And mixed drinks that are made with 100 proof whiskey (vs. 80 proof) or which contain double shots, etc. will get you more drunk faster. The key thing is to be aware of the quantity of alcohol you're consuming - not the form it takes.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, understand that while you may be "ok to drive" as far as the law is concerned, you still might want to let a designated driver take the wheel.
Research indicates that many people suffer meaningful impairment (in the form of decreased reaction times, etc.) at BAC levels of just .05 - a level that can be reached after just two or three drinks. For example, accident statistics show that you chances of having an accident with a BAC level in the .05-.06 range almost double.
Of course, this is not true for everyone. Some people are naturally better drivers than others to begin with. Even with a couple of drinks in them, their higher innate skill level compensates (to an extent) for the effects of the booze in their systems. Some people may even be better drivers with a few drinks in their system than completely sober but marginally skilled drivers.
But keep in mind that DWI and DUI laws are not based on manifestations of reduced driving ability caused by alcohol consumption. All that matters, legally speaking, is your BAC level as measured by a Breathalyzer or blood test. Your driving (good or bad) is not the issue. So don't think that just because you can "hold your liquor" and are a better-than-average driver you don't need to worry about getting arrested for DUI or DWI. All it takes is rolling through a sobriety checkpoint with one too many in your system.
And no matter how well you hold your liquor or how skilled a driver you may be, why take the chance - with your life or the lives of other people. A glass of wine or a beer or two over dinner is one thing. Anything more and you should let someone else take the wheel.
It's the smart thing to do, legally. And it's the right thing to do morally.
For more information on the effects of alcohol on your ability to drive and the consequences of driving drunk, see: http://www.intox.com/wheel/drinkwheel.asp.
