Service manual
mixed drinks
if
each had 1-1/2 ounces
(45
ml)
of
a liquor like whiskey, gin
or vodka.
It’s the amount
of
alcohol that counts. For example,
if
the same person
drank three double martinis
(3
ounces or
90
ml
of
liquor each) within an
hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent.
A
person who
consumes food just before or during drinking will have a slightly lower
BAC
level.
DRINKING
THAT
WILL
RESULT
IN
A
BAC
OF
.05°/o
IN
THE
TIME
SHOWN
6
NUMBER
OF
DRINKS
IS
In
picture)
I
3
HOURS
2 HOURS
1
HOUR
I
100
120 140 160
180
200
220
240
BODY
WEIQHT
IN POUNDS
The law in most
US.
states sets the legal limit at a BAC of
0.10
percent.
In Canada the limit
is
0.08
percent, and in some other countries it’s lower
than that. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in
one hour).
Of
course, as we’ve seen, it depends
on
how much alcohol is in
the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them.
But it’s
very
important to keep in mind that the ability to drive .is affected
well below a BAC of
0.10
percent. Research shows that the driving skills
of
many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05
percent, and
that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels
above
0.05
percent. Statistics show that the chance
of
being in an accident
increases sharply
for
drivers who have a BAC of
0.05
percent or above. A
driver with a BAC level of
0.06
percent (three beers in one hour for a
180-pound or 82 kg person) has doubled his or her chance of having an
r
L-r
178
~.