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Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol
-
a driver, a
passenger or someone else, such as
a
pedestrian, had
been drinking. In most cases, these deaths are the result
of someone who was drinking and driving. About
20,000 motor vehicle-related deaths occur each year
because
of
alcohol, and thousands
of
people are injured.
Just how much alcohol is too much if a person plans to
drive? Ideally, no one should drink alcohol and then
drive. But if one does, then what's "too much"? It can be
a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on
each person and situation, here is some general
information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of someone who is
drinking depends upon four things:
0
0
0
0
How much alcohol is in the drink.
The drinker's body weight.
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking.
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
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 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
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