Anyone who knows how to drive knows too well that the figure ‘0.08 BAC’ is a red flag when it comes to driving. You don’t need to be a genius to know what is 0.08 alcohol level. Having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher will get you in trouble for drunk driving. Driving drunk can get you into a lot of trouble since we have DUI laws in affect. When did DUI laws pass? Back in 1910 once everyone realized how dangerous it is to drive drunk. Have you ever wondered if .08 alcohol level is how many beers? Read to know what affects BAC and how you can measure it.
The Standard Drink
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard drink is half an ounce of alcohol. BAC can be measured 15 minutes after your first drink, and it is a rule of thumb to consume one standard drink per hour so have your BAC within safe limits. Despite this conventional wisdom, you should avoid driving after consuming any alcohol.
Factors Affecting BAC
You may love escape rooms but there is no means to escape the authorities when your breath is used against you to assess BAC. People with the same level of BAC can experience varying degrees of impairment.
Common factors that affect BAC include age, gender, body type, and metabolism. Consumption rate, consumed food, alcohol content, and alcohol tolerance are also considered. The number of factors is never-ending, and it is hard to estimate how many drinks is .08 BAC.
How Many Drinks is .08 BAC?
Knowing what is 0.08 alcohol level isn’t enough to be cautious. BAC can be estimated in four ways, minus a blood test.
Self-assessment
The first one is a self-assessment that you can do just by assessing your mood. Mood swings coupled with slurred speech can mean that you’re past the limit, and this can be worsened by unsound judgment. This makes self-assessment a poor means of estimating your BAC.
One-drink-per-hour Rule
The one-drink-per-hour rule seems easy to follow but is also easy to break. If you’re wondering .08 alcohol level is how many beers, then think again. Drinks such as wine and beer have varying alcohol content, making the rule unreliable. The strength of the drink can also change depending on the individual who mixes it. If you’re inebriated, a poor BAC calculation will soon follow.
BAC Charts and Calculators
Can online BAC charts and calculators identify how many drinks to get to .08 BAC? Such tools claim to estimate your BAC based on the information you put such as your weight, gender, and the number of consumed drinks.
The process may sound simple but these tools make false assumptions by leaving out your metabolism, medications, and recent food consumption. This makes them inaccurate to identify how many drinks to get to .08 BAC. BAC charts and calculators also miss the strength of the drinks you consume, let alone your overall health that can be affected by ozone depletion.
Breathalyzers
Breathalyzers are guaranteed to be the best way of calculating BAC. They are portable and lightweight, making them easy to carry. Unlike rules or charts, these devices never rely on generalizations. Just like in the sobriety test mandated by the police, your breath is used to calculate if you have reached 0.08 BAC. Results are assured to be fast and reliable.
You’ll enjoy going to a science museum more than going to the police. Being aware of what is 0.08 alcohol level will make you think twice about consuming drinks especially if you drive your own car.