Avoiding a DUI
If you are facing DUI charges in your state, you have come to the right place. Here, you will find an attorney who is skilled in DUI defense and will be able to fight your charges effectively. Reach out to a lawyer right away for help. Your consultation is always free.
DUI laws are becoming stricter all the time. In fact, the legal limit in all 50 states is .08% blood alcohol content, or BAC. But how much alcohol in your body can you have without exceeding the legal limit? The answer depends on many factors, including body weight, gender, what you have eaten recently, and even genetics. Remember, if you have already been arrested for a DUI, it is so important to contact one of our DUI attorneys immediately. Don’t wait.
WHAT REALLY DETERMINES HOW MUCH YOU CAN DRINK
Body Weight
How much you weigh is a primary factor in determining how much you can drink without exceeding the legal limit. For example, a person who weighs 120 pounds can consume only two or three drinks before exceeding the legal limit. But if you weigh 250 pounds, you can put much more alcohol in your body before you would be considered legally drunk.
Gender
Your gender will also determine how your body metabolizes alcohol. An individual’s fat vs. muscle ratio affects how the body processes alcohol, because muscle contains more water than fat, and individuals with higher water content in their bodies metabolize alcohol more quickly. Because of this, men, who generally have a higher muscle ratio and more water in their bodies, can typically consume more alcohol than women without exceeding the legal limit.
Genetics
Genetics can even affect the amount of alcohol in your body needed to reach the legal limit because individuals have varying amounts of a liver enzyme called dehydrogenase that is essential in alcohol metabolism. Men tend to produce greater amounts of dehydrogenase than women, which is another reason that men can generally process larger quantities of alcohol. Also, some ethnic groups tend to produce less dehydrogenase than others. Know this, if you have been charged with DUI in your state, regardless of your gender or genetic make-up, you should seek help before it is too late. Talk to a skilled DUI attorney right away.
Food in your system
You probably have heard that drinking on an empty stomach can get you drunk faster. This is true. If you eat before or while drinking, you may effect when you reach the legal limit. Alcohol is absorbed directly by the body, not digested, and the majority is absorbed through the lining of the small intestine. Consuming food before or while drinking causes a valve at the bottom of the stomach to close, preventing some alcohol from passing into the small intestine.
REMEMBER: Everyone metabolizes alcohol differently. But what you may not realize is that these factors are essential to an effective DUI defense. A driver may exceed the legal limit when a chemical test is given several hours after arrest, yet have been under the legal limit when driving. This is a key factor in your defense! An experienced DUI lawyer who has a thorough working knowledge of how the body absorbs alcohol, and will use that information to craft a defense strategy designed to protect the driver’s rights and keep negative consequences to a minimum. Contact one of our knowledgeable DUI LAWS attorneys today for help with your case.