How Many Drinks Can I Have at My Holiday Party to Avoid Drunk Driving?

If you drink any alcohol, you should be aware of the laws about driving under the influence of alcohol. Driving after drinking an alcoholic drink is dangerous. Remember, alcohol can quickly slow you down. It affects your body’s ability to respond, especially to emergencies.

What’s the Permitted Alcohol Limit in the US?

Most states says it is illegal to drive an automobile if you drive while having a blood alcohol concentration or BAC of 0.08 g/dL of blood or higher. This BAC can already impair your ability to drive that leads to an accident.  Arizona generally used the 0.08 statue. But Arizona also has a law that one may not drive if that alcohol impairs the ability to drive in the “slightest degree”. The “slightest degree” statue is not pegged for any specific blood alcohol level.

At least one state has lowered tightened this rule for  misdemeanor DUI cases. The state government of Utah changed the state’s standard BAC limit to 0.05 g/dL. The number of drinks you can have to stay under this BAC limit depends on several factors, such as:

• Your age, weight, sex, and metabolism
• Your meals for that day
• The kind of alcoholic beverage you drink
• The amount you drunk
• Your stress levels

Note: I will not recommend that anyone drive after drinking any alcohol. It is best to be safe.

Why Should You Never Drink Alcohol When Going to Parties to Avoid DUI?

Even a few shot glasses of alcohol can already affect your ability to drive. CDC or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that even 0.02% BAC can impair your alertness and judgment. Thus, it is best to avoid drinking any alcoholic beverage throughout the party.

If you disregard this warning, expect that you will experience these negative effects of drinking alcohol:

For 0.02% BAC:

• Poor ability to see clearly any moving object
• Impaired multitasking ability

For 0.05% BAC:

• Weak ability to track a moving object
• Difficulty in handling the steering wheel
• Reduced body coordination
• Decreased or slow ability to respond to emergencies

For 0.08% BAC:

• Impaired mental capability to process information
• Impaired perception
• Inability to control car’s speed
• Inability to concentrate
• Temporary memory loss

For 0.10% BAC:

• Impaired ability to brake and keep the car in the correct lane.

For 0.15% BAC:

• Impaired ability to process sounds and sights
• Weak ability to control the car

Note: A standard alcoholic drink is roughly a 355ml can of beer, a half glass of wine, or a shot of spirit.

What are the Dangers of a DUI?

Alcohol can make you feel sleepy and weak. Thus, you may end up doing something that can lead to dangerous consequences for yourself and other people. Driving under the Influence is a serious felony offense and one of the common crimes in the US. The authorities have started taking steps to decrease the number of drunk drivers on the street.

But, the number of fatalities associated with DUI still increases year after year. Thus, the US government has decided to post heavier penalties to discourage people to drink if they still need to drive a car. If you get a DUI, consult an experienced law office.  Contact Robert A. Dodell, Attorney at Law, to know your rights and how you can defend yourself from the charges against you. You can also check out these useful tips on preventing guests from driving drunk home.