BAC and Impairment: How Much Can I Drink?

Blood alcohol content (BAC) measures the percentage of alcohol in a person’s blood, and this measurement is most commonly obtained through breath tests and blood tests.

Your BAC and how quickly you will become intoxicated is based upon a number of factors, including:

• The amount of alcohol you have consumed
• The type of alcohol you have consumed
• The length of time you have been drinking
• If you ate while drinking, and how much you ate
• Your gender
• Your weight
• Your age
• Your tolerance for alcohol
• If you are taking certain medications

Alcohol affects everyone differently, but there are certain impairments that commonly occur when a person’s BAC reaches specific percentages. People typically exhibit the following signs of impairment the more alcohol they consume:

• 0.01% to 0.02% BAC – You will appear normal, but you will exhibit subtle effects from the alcohol, which can be detected with specialized tests.
• 0.03% to 0.05% BAC – Your ability to concentrate will be affected.
• 0.06% to 0.09% BAC – Your ability to reason will be impaired and you will also notice effects on your depth perception, peripheral vision, and glare recovery.
• 0.10% to 0.19% BAC – Your speech will be slurred and you may stagger, and your reaction time, reflexes, and gross motor control will be impaired.
• 0.20% to 0.29% BAC – You will exhibit severe motor impairment, and may sustain memory blackout or lose consciousness.
• 0.30% BAC or Higher – When an individual’s BAC is 0.3% or higher, they are at risk of alcohol poisoning and severe physical harm.

Arrested for an alcohol-related crime in Las Vegas? Call De Castroverde Law Group for experienced representation and visit our DUI Defense section for more information.