How Much is Too Much?
With respect to drinking and driving, this is the common question that, unfortunately, doesn’t have a clear answer. Anti-drinking, conservative groups suggest that you shouldn’t drive after having even one alcoholic beverage. Other, less extreme groups recognize that most people are fit to drive after having one or two drinks. And, depending on an individual’s tolerance to alcohol, there are many people who can have even more to drink and still drive safely.
The fact remains, however, that in California…as well as every other state…we have what is referred to as a per se DUI law. A “per se” DUI law is one which presumes that you are driving under the influence if you reach the state’s minimum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level.
In order to help you understand your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level as it relates to a California DUI, a variety of BAC calculators are available. You can find these BAC calculators both online and in print, as they are regularly mailed along with your California DMV auto registration.
While these calculators aren’t foolproof and can’t be used as a defense if you rely on one before choosing to drink and drive, they are a useful tool in helping you understand your BAC level as it relates to a California DUI.
You simply input your physical information based on a hypothetical drinking pattern to see an example of how many alcoholic drinks you can consume before you’ll reach an illegal BAC. To give it a try, click here.
