One frequently asked question is how many drinks does it take to put someone over the legally admissible blood alcohol content (BAC) for driving. This is a very complicated question as there are many factors that come into play. These can include your body type, weight, sex, the time period over which you imbibed your drinks, etc. Of course, the simplest and most obvious answer to this question is to never ever drink and drive and you won’t have a problem. This article and its author admonishes you to you never drink and drive and always have a designated driver whenever ANY alcohol is being consumed. You will be safer by doing so, and so will those who share the roads with you. If you have been arrested for DUI or a similar charge, you need to find the best DUI lawyer you can find to help defend you.
However, to answer the question, we’ll offer some thoughts here. Remember, this is certainly not an exact science, but there are some rules of thumb that might aid you in determining whether you are likely to be over the limit.
In all states, the legal limit is .08 BAC. In general, a 100 lb. person can ingest ONE serving of alcohol (a 12 oz beer, 1oz of 100 proof liquor, etc) before reaching this legal limit. Some will be over the limit with just one, and others will go over the limit (and even over the .1 limit of other states) with only two servings of alcohol.
While this may seem pretty steep, remember that most people are not 100 lbs, and the math changes for those who weigh more. For example, a man weighing approximately 160-165 pounds can generally have about three servings of alcohol before going over the legal BAC level. Most people at this weight are still under the legal limit and can drive. The rule of thumb that is easiest to remember if you are an average sized adult is that if you have had three drinks within a short period of time, you are probably still under the limit, but fast approaching it.
But this is still simply a rule of thumb. Other factors such as medications, general fatigue, health conditions, and amount and kind of food ingested recently can all have significant effects on BAC. Again, this article is not meant to endorse drinking and driving of any kind, even when under the legally permissible BAC limit. Having a designated driver is always the safest and best alternative. If you have been arrested for DUI in Maryland, you can find good information and find a baltimore dui lawyer.
Jonathan Stone is an expert on the practical implications of criminal law. He lives in the Baltimore, Maryland metro area and writes articles for information hubs such as BaltimoreDUIlawyers.org and Virginia DUI Lawyer Virginia Blog..