Today, we received a call from a person who wanted to know how many bottles they can drink before they go over the limit. This was because they were going to a party tonight and didn’t want to be caught drink driving.
This is a very complicated question and we could not provide a definitive answer, telling them to think about not drinking at all if they are going to drive.
The following article looks at factors involving alcohol but should not be used as a guideline. Our view is that you should not drink anything alcoholic if you are getting behind the wheel.
Factors that Impact Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
1. Alcohol Itself
Of course, the first factor is alcohol itself.
Different forms of alcohol contain different percentages by volume of alcohol and a different number of “standard drinks”. Consuming high amounts of alcohol or drinks with high concentrations of alcohol or both which have a greater effect on your overall BAC than low amounts of alcohol with low concentrations.
2. Time Since Drinking
Your body metabolises alcohol over time in your liver using an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase where it is then removed from your body. The general rule used to be that you would metabolise one standard drink every hour but this has proved to be a very simplistic approach and is highly inaccurate, though it is generally true that the longer the wait the lower your BAC should be.
3. Alcohol Absorption
Alcohol does not go straight into the blood stream, it must be absorbed by the digestive system. Because of this, you may hear about people’s BAC increasing over time before it goes down. This is usually because the alcohol in the stomach is being processed into the blood quicker than the liver can metabolise it. Often people feel “alright to drive” and have another drink (or a few more) and are shocked to find that they are pushing high-range if detected by police. This could be attributed to the alcohol not being fully absorbed into the blood when they decided to drive.
Conclusion
The smartest way to get around drink driving is to not drink at all. The “science” of counting drinks and “feeling alright to drive” is disproved time and time again in Court. It is generally much better to have a designated driver or a Plan-B to get home safe and sound.
If you have been charged with an offence, remember our team at Whitfield|Legal are here to help. Call us on 1300 818 626 for a free initial consult to discuss your matter and don’t forget to check out our drink driving page here.
