How Much Alcohol Does It Take To Be Legally Drunk In Most States?

Drinking impairs judgment. It is a fact. A lot of people include drinking into their lifestyle and the vast majority of those people are responsible with this fact. They plan ahead of time, get a ride when it is needed and they know their limits. Personal limits are different than legal limits, and these legal limits should be known by everyone who drinks.

You might be the type of person who can hold their liquor. You can act sober even if you are intoxicated. The law does not take this into account when prosecuting DUI. The law is only concerned with the amount of alcohol in your blood. Simple as that; no excuses.

Law enforcement refers to the amount of alcohol in your blood as BAC, or blood alcohol content. Your BAC is affected by a variety of factors, but the most important of which are your weight and gender. Men have an active protein in their stomachs that rapidly breaks down alcohol, so it takes more drinks to raise a man’s BAC. Women are generally smaller and lighter than men. So, a small woman will be much more influenced by alcohol than a large man.

There is a national standard for BAC limits, but some states have laws in which BAC limits can be lowered. Generally, 0.08 BAC is legally intoxicated. This number can drop significantly in some states if there is a child in the car, the driver is under 21 years of age or if the driver conspicuously appears to be under the influence. But, again, 0.08 BAC is the basic rule of thumb.

It should also be noted that the human body digests, subtracts about 0.01 BAC per hour and only time will eliminate BAC. Eating food or drinking coffee will not help you eliminate the alcohol in your blood. BAC can be approximated by counting standard drinks. A standard drink is a shot (1.5 oz) of spirits, a glass (5 oz.) of wine or 12 ounces of beer.

Generally speaking, women under 120 pounds will be over the legal limit in just two standard drinks. Women between 120 and 180 pounds need just three drinks and women heavier than 180 pounds need four drinks.

Men that weigh 100 pounds or less need just two drinks to be legally intoxicated. Men that weight up to 140 pounds need three drinks, men that weight up to 200 pounds require four drinks and men that weigh more than 200 pounds need 5 drinks to be legally intoxicated.