Maybe You Shouldn’t Drive?

Calculate Your Blood Alcohol Concentration

*Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus luctus urna sed urna ultricies ac tempor dui sagittis. In condimentum facilisis porta. Sed nec diam eu diam mattis.

arrow down

Physical & Mental Impairment

Drinking even a slight amount of alcohol can impair your physical and mental faculties. The extent of impairment will depend on your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), or the percent of alcohol in your blood stream. Several factors contribute to a person's BAC, including:

Amount of Alcohol
You Consume

Time Period Over Which You Consume It

Your Weight and Biological Gender

Whether You Have Taken Medication

In every state, you are deemed to be legally impaired with a BAC of 0.08%, and you cannot drive. If you are a commercial driver, the legal limit is 0.04%. Most states also have “zero tolerance” laws. If you are under the legal drinking age of 21 in those states, you cannot drive with any trace of alcohol in your blood, or a BAC as low as 0.01%.

Of course, in our view, the only safe BAC level for driving is 0.00% – no matter who you are!

BAC Calculator

Here, for educational purposes only, we present a BAC Calculator. You can use the calculator and our chart to estimate how alcohol will affect you and your ability to drive. We base the calculator and chart on information provided by:

Calculate Your BAC:

Your Weight pounds

Time Since Consumption hours

Beer - 3.5% ounces

Beer - 5.5% ounces

Beer - 7% ounces

Beer - 9% ounces

Wine - 14% ounces

Alcohol - 40% ounces

Alcohol - 60% ounces

Select your gender:

Male

Female

Bood Alcohol Conentration

0.00

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.00 No impairment. This is the only safe BAC level for driving

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.01 - 0.03 Slight physical and mental effects such as mood elevation. In most states, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher if you are under age 21.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.04 – 0.06 Relaxed feeling and slight impairment of memory, reasoning and attention. If you are a commercial driver, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.04% or higher.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.07 – 0.09 Noticeable impairment of speech, balance, vision and motor control. Significant impairment of driving skills. It is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08% or higher.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.10 – 0.12 BAC will cause significant deterioration of judgment and motor control. Slurred speech and sleepiness may also be noticeable.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.13 – 0.15 Gross physical impairment, including blurred vision and loss of balance. Anxiety and restlessness may start to kick in.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.16 – 0.20 Vomiting and nausea. Dangerous impairment of reasoning.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.21 – 0.30 Severe physical and mental impairment. Many will experience "blackouts."

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.30 – 0.40 Loss of consciousness and on the verge of coma.

Mental & Physical Impairment

0.41 – higher Coma is likely and risk of death due to respiratory failure.

What's a Standard Drink?

Beer

Amount: 12 oz.

ABV*: 4.5%

More: 16 oz. cup of beer = 1.4 drinks

Wine

Amount: 5 oz.

ABV*: 12%

More: 12 oz. glass of wine = 2.9 drinks

Cocktail

Amount: 1.5 oz.

ABV*: 40%

Cocktail (i.e. margarita) = 2-4 drinks

*ABV refers to "alcohol by volume"

Physical & Mental Effects of Drinking Alcohol

0.00	No impairment. This is the only safe BAC level for driving
0.01 - 0.03	Slight physical and mental effects such as mood elevation. In most states, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher if you are under age 21.
0.04 – 0.06	Relaxed feeling and slight impairment of memory, reasoning and attention. If you are a commercial driver, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.04% or higher.
0.07 – 0.09	Noticeable impairment of speech, balance, vision and motor control. Significant impairment of driving skills. It is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08% or higher.
0.10 – 0.12	Significant deterioration of judgment and motor control. Slurred speech and sleepiness may also be noticeable.
0.13 – 0.15	Gross physical impairment, including blurred vision and loss of balance. Anxiety and restlessness may start to kick in.
0.16 – 0.20	Vomiting and nausea. Dangerous impairment of reasoning.
0.21 – 0.30	Severe physical and mental impairment. Many will experience "blackouts."
0.30 – 0.40	Loss of consciousness and on the verge of coma
0.41 – higher	Coma is likely and risk of death due to respiratory failure