How much alcohol does it take to impair driving?
• Your Weight. It takes less alcohol to become intoxicated if you weigh 120 pounds than if you weigh 180 pounds. • Whether you are drinking on a full or empty stomach. It takes less time to get intoxicated if you drink on an empty stomach. • How many drinks you have and their alcohol content. • How long you have been drinking. • Whether you are taking any medicines or drugs, which may combine with alcohol to increase the effect of alcohol on your driving ability. What is blood alcohol concentration (BAC)? Blood Alcohol Concentration is a measure of the amount of alcohol in the blood stream expressed as a percentage. The illegal BAC level in California is set at .08 percent. A person weighing 150 pounds, drinking at the rate of 1.5 ounces of alcohol (the approximate amount found in one 12-ounce can of beer or one glass of wine) per half hour, would need: • Two drinks—to reach a BAC of 0.05% • Three drinks—to reach a BAC of nearly 0.08% • Four drinks—to reach a BAC of 0.10% • Six drinks—
