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Why counting your drinks could get you a DUI

On Behalf of | May 11, 2022 | Criminal Defense

You might think you know how to measure your drinking and can still drive home safely and without breaking the law.

The first thing to remember is that any amount of alcohol will reduce your ability to drive safely. So even if you are still under the legal limit, you are more likely to be involved in a crash than if you drink nothing.

Secondly, a 2016 study found most people are not very good at measuring how drunk they are.

Why are people so bad at this?

The research found people were affected by the others around them. When others around you are drunker, you will think you are soberer than you are. When they are soberer, you will think you are drunker than you are.

Translating the amount drunk to blood alcohol level is not simple

The same amount of alcohol can affect different people’s blood alcohol content (BAC) in different ways. It can even affect you differently on different days.

BAC is a factor of time, your body, what you drink, how and when you drink it, plus what else you consume.

The only way to ensure you do not get a DUI is to not drive after drinking. Even if you drank less than the permitted amount, the police could still charge you with drunk driving if they believe the alcohol you consumed affected your driving.

If you face a DUI charge, remember that you still have an opportunity to contest the charge. Getting help to understand the various DUI defense options will be crucial to protecting your license and preventing the considerable consequences a DUI conviction would bring.

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