What Does BAC Stand For?īAC stands for Blood Alcohol Concentration, which is the measure of the amount of alcohol (ethanol) present in a person's bloodstream. Penalties vary acording to jurisdiction but typically involve fines, license suspension or revocation and even jail time depending on the severity of the offense.īy understanding what BAC stands for and being aware of its implications for driving safety, you can help ensure that you stay safe on the roads by never operating any vehicle after consuming any amount of alcohol or drugs that could potentially impair your judgment or reflexes. For this reason, many countries have established laws that make it illegal to operate certain vehicles such as cars or boats while under the influence of alcohol or drugs with any measurable amount of BAC present in your system. It is important to note that even low levels of BAC can have significant effects on driving safety and judgment. A blood sample may also be taken in some cases where more accurate results are needed than what can be obtained from a breath test alone. Therefore, testing for BAC is used as an objective way to measure whether or not someone has had too much to drink.īAC testing is conducted through a breath test (commonly referred to as a “breathalyzer”), which measures the amount of alcohol present in exhaled breath and provides an estimate of BAC levels. As such, it is impossible to determine exactly how much alcohol a person can consume before reaching a dangerous level of intoxication. The effects of alcohol on the body depend on many factors, including body weight, gender, how quickly the alcohol was consumed and the individual's tolerance level. It is expressed as a percentage, with 0.0% BAC representing complete sobriety, and anything above 0.08% indicating an illegal level of intoxication in most countries. Contact us online or call us at the number on your screen and get your free consultation today.BAC stands for “blood alcohol concentration” and refers to the amount of alcohol in a person's bloodstream. Have you been charged with DUI? We can connect you with an experienced Los Angeles DUI lawyer and get you a FREE consultation. ![]() They may not even need the test if there is other evidence of drinking or drug use. However, if you are driving unsafely and the police can find a little alcohol in your system through a BAC test, they can try to pin your unsafe driving on your alcohol consumption. That’s the line the law has set for intoxication under any circumstances, even if your alcohol tolerance is high. Under California law, if you have a BAC of 0.08% or higher, you are intoxicated even if you were driving perfectly. Why Would I Be Charged With DUI Even With a Low BAC?Ī DUI is really about getting drivers too unsafe to drive off the road. In some cases, a rising BAC defense is valid for DUI charges. That means you were less drunk when you were pulled over than you were hours later at the breath test. ![]() Often, BAC will continue to rise long after you stopped drinking because you haven’t absorbed all the alcohol yet. If they take you to the station or a hospital, they can also do a blood test.īAC can be misleading, even when confirmed with a test. At the scene of the stop, they may use a breath test with a breathalyzer machine. ![]() There are two primary ways the police may measure your BAC. BAC percentages are really grams of alcohol per milliliter of blood, which you may see in a test report, but the units are equivalent to make a percentage. For example, the legal “limit” for most drivers in California is 0.08% BAC, although sometimes, a much lower BAC will still count as a DUI. ![]() How Is BAC Measured?īAC is normally expressed as a percentage. It’s how you act and what your BAC level is. For the law, how you feel does not matter. People who drink regularly can ingest more alcohol before they feel impaired. Therefore, it’s used as a standard in DUI cases.Īlcohol tolerance can also make it difficult to know how much you’ve been drinking. The difference depends on:ĭespite these differences in alcohol consumption, if two people have the same BAC, they will experience roughly the same level of impairment or intoxication. Two different individuals can drink the same amount of alcohol and end up with a different BAC. Blood Alcohol Measurements tell the state of your BAC if you’re too intoxicated to drive.
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