How Alcohol And Timing Affect Your BAC
You might have felt just fine when you got in your car to head home after the party was over, and you might have been okay to drive when you initially got in the car. When you consume alcohol, it does not automatically register in your blood or even with your brain, and this means that the effects can come later on. Are you wondering how this works and how much a person would need to drink for their blood-alcohol content (BAC) to be above the legal limit? If so, here are some details about how this works.
How Much a Person Must Drink Varies
First of all, you should understand that there is no certain amount that would cause everyone to fall over the BAC limit of 0.08, and this is mainly because there are so many variables that affect this. For one, a person's weight will affect it. A heavier person generally must drink more to fall over the limit than a very small person. People also have different tolerances to alcohol. Some people may feel really drunk from one drink, while another person could drink five drinks and still not feel what the other person feels. One more factor is the type of alcohol you are drinking. Some drinks have a much higher alcohol percentage in them than others. Even beers can have different ABVs. One beer might have an alcohol level of 5.6%, while another might be 12%.
It Takes Time for the Alcohol to Affect a Person
Secondly, after a person drinks, he or she will not experience immediate effects from the alcohol. In fact, the alcohol will not even reach the person's bloodstream for a period of time. So five minutes after having a drink, your BAC might be 0.0, but an hour later, you might have a BAC of 0.05. It takes time for this process to occur.
The Timing of a Breathalyzer Could Affect the Situation
If you are facing a DUI, there is a chance that you were not impaired over the legal limit when you were driving. If there were delays in the officer administering a breathalyzer after pulling you over, the results could easily be different due to the time it takes for alcohol to get in your blood.
If you are now facing a criminal charge for a DUI, you need help. Make sure you look for a DUI attorney so you can have the best chances in your case.