When it comes to DWI nearly everyone is familiar with what the limit for your BAC (blood alcohol content) level limit is….08%. However a curious question is what does that really mean? We all know the dangers of drinking and driving as it is common knowledge. According to the law if you are the age 21 or over .08% is your limit before you could be subject to arrest for a DWI if you are caught driving a vehicle. There are various charts and resources available that show how many drinks you can consume before you will likely reach this limit, but what does this really measure?
The test of your BAC can look for either the percentage by mass or volume of alcohol in your system. If a sample of your blood is taken to test for alcohol it is testing how many grams of alcohol you have per gram of blood. If you test at a .02% then you would have 1 gram of alcohol for every 500 grams of blood. If a breath test for alcohol is given it will test the ratio of breath to alcohol. The average ratio is 2100:1. However some research suggests that this may fluctuate depending on the individual from 1300:1 to 3100:1. The problem with this spread is the accuracy of the test. For example, if a person who has a .08% had a ratio of 1700:1 on the breath test it would only register a .01%.
While some of the research that has been done in this are presents compelling evidence to re-evaluate how testing for BAC is done, it is unlikely that this will be changed anytime soon. If you should find yourself in a situation where you have been charged with a DWI you need to contact an attorney who has the experience and knowledge necessary to handle your case with the care it deserves. For a private, confidential consultation with one of our experienced DWI lawyers, please call 704-499-9000 or toll-free 877-374-5999 even on weekends or holidays. Visit our main page here.