Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) or Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) can be defined as the amount of alcohol present in a person’s blood. The measurement is often represented by a decimal place followed by significant digits. Sometimes the number will be represented as a percent which is 1/100th of the original value. An alcohol level of .10% would be equivalent to .10 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Many state guidelines follow this unit of measure.
There is roughly the same alcohol content in a shot of liquor (1.25oz), a glass of beer (12 oz), and a glass of wine (5 oz). Many people will just add up the number of drinks they have consumed and multiply that times .02 to determine their BAC. While this is a reasonable place to start, there are too many factors that can affect your BAC and how that alcohol can impair you. Five alcoholic drinks will affect a 100 pound woman much differently than a 200 pound man. Factors such as metabolism, body weight, body fat, and tolerance can influence your blood alcohol level and the effect it can have on you.
As of 2011 all states should have the same legal limit of .08 BAC to drive. For some people this can be achieved in only 2 drinks! Others may take several more before they reach the limit. With a BAC of just .10 your motor skills can be greatly impaired, you will not be able to concentrate as well, and your depth perception and reaction time will be significantly affected. Slurred speech, staggering, and bloodshot, watery eyes are all signs of a significant blood alcohol content. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms then you should not try to operate a motor vehicle.
Use our free online blood alcohol content calculator to help determine your level of intoxication for a given number of drinks. Due to the reasons stated above, it is difficult to determine an exact amount for each person, so this should only be used as a guideline. It is always best to find a designated driver if you plan on consuming any alcoholic beverages. This may keep you from being arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI).
