| If you have been driving a car, motorcycle, or any | | | | women. This means that less water is available to |
| other vehicle for sometime now, you must be aware | | | | dilute the drink that is consumed in women which leads |
| of the terms DUI and BAC. DUI stands for Driving | | | | to a higher BAC. |
| under Influence of alcohol or drugs, and is a serious | | | | • Weight – A person who has more body |
| crime. BAC refers to Blood Alcohol Content or | | | | weight will have more quantity of water in his or her |
| concentration of alcohol in the blood. The BAC | | | | body. Therefore, their BAC will be lower than that of a |
| determines whether or not, someone has been drunk | | | | person who is thinner. |
| driving. However, there is not much clarity among | | | | • Fitness – If you have more muscles in your |
| drivers over what is the BAC, how it is calculated, and | | | | body as compared to fat, you will have a lower BAC |
| what factors determine the BAC. | | | | than a person who has more fat. |
| The BAC is the legal and medical way of determining | | | | • Food – If you eat along with your drink, it will |
| the level of intoxication in a person. It can be measured | | | | lower the absorption rate of alcohol in the body and |
| in different units, but it is generally calculated in mass | | | | the BAC will be lower for the first few hours after the |
| per volume. In the United States, if a person is found to | | | | drink is consumed. However, the alcohol will stay in |
| have a BAC of 0.08%, he or she is considered drunk. | | | | your blood for many more hours as compared to if |
| To give you some kind of an idea about the BAC, 1 | | | | you had your drink on empty stomach. |
| standard drink (equivalent to 44ml of liquor or 355ml of | | | | • Speed of Drinking – If you drink fast, the body |
| beer or 148ml of table wine), normally increases a | | | | will not get adequate time to absorb the drink and your |
| person’s BAC from 0.02% to 0.05%. The BAC or | | | | BAC will start going up. You should not consume more |
| blood alcohol will return to zero in 1 and a half to 3 hrs | | | | than one drink per hour as that is the alcohol |
| after consuming the drink. However, it is not possible to | | | | absorption rate of the human body. |
| determine the exact number of drinks that will cause a | | | | It is important that you keep the above factors in mind |
| BAC of 0.8% in a person due to numerous factors. | | | | the next time you consume alcohol. Do not drive after |
| Some of these are: | | | | consuming alcohol because your BAC may be much |
| • Gender – The ratio of fat to water is more in | | | | higher than what you presume. |