DWI and Blood Alcohol Concentration: What does it mean?
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the relationship between
the amount of alcohol consumed and the elimination of alcohol in
your blood. This is usually measured as the percentage of
deciliters of blood. So if it is measured by how much blood you
have, your body weight makes a difference on how much you can
drink. There are a few variables that determine your blood
alcohol level: -Weight -Male or female -Amount consumed -How
long the time frame was while drinking -How long it takes to get
back to a 0 BAC
A BAC of .04 means you have 4 drops of pure alcohol for every
10,000 drops of blood. An average man at 160 lbs. that drinks
two beers would have a BAC of .04 after about an hour, on an
empty stomach. Someone who reaches a BAC of .10 will normally
show signs of intoxication. On average, it takes about 1 hour
for 1 drink to leave the body. On women, it takes long because
usually women have lower water in their body and have a higher
percent of body fat than men. The fatter you are, the longer the
alcohol stays in your system.
First, the alcohol is absorbed through your stomach. When you
eat, then the alcohol is absorbed into the food and has to go on
to the intestinal track for absorption. This takes longer for
the alcohol to be absorbed. It all depends on how much you drink
and how much you eat. A small amount may be absorbed through the
stomach, but most alcohol is absorbed through the intestines
where it enters the blood stream and travels to the brain.
Alcohol is a system suppressor along with other drugs like
sedatives, painkillers and marijuana. Other drugs have a
different effect on impaired driving, like cocaine and
amphetamines, which are system enhancers. Alcohol impairs
judgment, coordination, vision, and reaction time and increases
drowsiness.
This is how your BAC is calculated and consequently gets you
thrown into jail for a DWI. 35% of those convicted of DWI will
become repeat offenders. Its simple, don't drink and drive.