How does BAC affect driving?
The higher the concentration of alcohol in the blood, BAC, the greater its impact on driving. Driving is a complex task requiring judgment, information processing, and conscious control of behavior, memory, coordination, and quick reaction time. Alcohol tends to retard these processes and, for many individuals, it does so at BAC levels far below the legal blood alcohol limits. Judgment, reaction time, and coordination may so be affected as to make it impossible to safely operate a motor vehicle. Remember, alcohol is a false confidence builder! Whether its driving a vehicle, riding a bicycle, operating a watercraft or operating any type of machinery, you can not do it as well as you think you can, or, as well as you can without the alcohol. Below is a basic BAC level of impairment chart. Remember, people respond differently depending on tolerance and circumstances to the same BAC level: • .02-.04 Reaction times are increasing. Coordination has started to slow. Judgment is beginning to b
