How much alcohol must I have consumed to be arrested for DUI (or drunk driving or DWI as the charge is sometimes called) in Florida?
In Florida, it is not a matter of how much alcohol you had to drink but how much alcohol is in your system at the time you are driving or in control of a vehicle. If your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is .08 or greater, you can be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, or DUI. The BAC is measured by a breath test, which measures grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath or a blood test, which measures grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. With either test, a reading of .8 or more mens your blood alcohol level is above the legal limit in Florida. Do I have to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test if requested by a police officer? No. However, refusing such tests has serious ramifications. Florida law permits the motor vehicle department to suspend your privilege to drive. In addition, your refusal to submit to a test upon the request of a law enforcement officer is admissible in any criminal proceeding against you as evidence of you consciousness of guilt.
