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According to the American Medical
Association, a 180-pound
(82
kg) person
who drinks three 12-ounce (355 ml)
bottles of beer in an hour will end up with
a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person
would reach the same BAC by drinking
three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or
three mixed drinks if each had 1
-
1/2
ounces (45 mi) of a liquor like whiskey,
gin or vodka.
It's the amount of alcohol that counts. For
example, if the same person drank three
double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of
liquor each) within an hour, the 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.
DRINKING THAT WILL
RESULT I N A BAC QF .05%
IN THE TIME SHOWN
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
Rnnv WEIGHT IN POUNDS
~
The law in most U.S. 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
BAC 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.
127..
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