You often hear people talk about different factors that can make someone more or less drunk after consuming the same amount of drinks. One example is that a smaller person may be over the legal limit while a larger person is still under it, even if they have the same number of drinks over the same amount of time.
But what about how quickly you drink? Does drinking fast increase your intoxication and your risk of getting a DUI? If you quickly drink the rest of your beer or wine at the end of dinner and then head home, does that put you at greater risk of being legally impaired?
The answer may surprise you
Yes, drinking faster can certainly make you become drunker than you would be otherwise. How quickly you add alcohol to your system and allow your body to process it does makes a difference in your blood alcohol content.
Think of it this way: One beer and one shot should each raise your BAC at about the same speed. A shot feels like it hits harder because you take the entire dose — we rarely think of alcohol on those terms, but that’s what it is — at one time. If you drink your whole glass of wine in a hurry, it is going to make you feel drunker than if you spread sips out over an hour.
Get help after a drunk driving arrest
Maybe you thought you were sober when you got in the car, but that last drink hit you on the way home. Maybe the Breathalyzer was wrong. If you got arrested and you’re now facing DUI charges, be sure you know exactly what steps to take to protect your interests. A defense attorney can help.
