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person's BAC would
be close
to 0.12 percent.
A
person
who
consumes food
just
before or during drinking will
have
a
slightly
lower BAC level.
The law in most US. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of
0.10 percent. In
Canada the limit is 0.08 percent, and in some other countries it's lower than
that. The BAG will
be over
0.10
percent after three to six drinks (in one
hour). Of course, as we've seen, it depends on how much alcohol
is in the
drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them.
But it's very important
to keep in mind that the ability to drive is affected well
below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills
of many
people are impaired at
a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects
are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05 percent.
Statistics show that the chance
of being in an accident increases sharply for
drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above.
A driver with a BAC level
of 0.06 percent (three beers in one hour for a 180-pound or 82 kg person)
has doubled his or her chance of having an accident.
At a BAC level
of
0.10 percent, the chance of that driver having an accident
is six times
greater; at a level of
0.15 percent, the chances are twenty-five times greater!
And, the body takes about an hour
to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink.
No amount of coffee or number of
cold showers will speed that up.
"I'll be careful" isn't the right
answer. What if there's an emergency, a need
to take sudden action,
as when a child darts into the street? A person with a
higher BAC might not be
able to react quickly enough
to
avoid the collision.
There's something else about drinking and driving that many people don't
know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person's system can make
crash injuries worse. That's especially true for brain, spinal cord and heart
injuries. That means that if anyone who has been
drinking-driver or
passenger-is
in a crash, the chance
of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if that person had not been drinking. And we've already seen
that the chance of a crash itself is higher for drinking drivers.
CAUTION
Drinking and then driving
is very dangerous. Your reflexes,
[
perceptions, and judgment will be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You could have a serious-or even fatal-accident
if you
drive after drinking. Please don't drink and drive
or ride with a driver
who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab;
or if you're with a
group, designate a driver who will not drink.
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