San Pedro, California
Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

Drunk driving, legally known as driving under the influence (DUI), is defined by the California Vehicle Code as “operating a motor vehicle while the BAC is at or above the limit at which a person cannot drive safely.”

The unlawful BAC level is determined by your age or what kind of driver you are:

• Drivers under 21 years cannot have a BAC level at or above 0.01g/dl.
• Drivers on DUI probation cannot have a BAC level at or above 0.01g/dl.
• Drivers for commercial motor vehicles cannot have a BAC level at or above 0.04g/dl.
• Drivers over 21 years cannot have a BAC level at or above 0.8g/dl.

Note that many factors affect how your body metabolizes alcohol; therefore, they can also affect your BAC levels. These factors include: 

• Weight
• Height
• Gender
• What type of alcohol did you drink?
• Did you eat before drinking/while you were drinking?
• How much alcohol did you drink?
• Do you have any medical conditions, like diabetes?

Of course, it is also essential to the time during which you consumed alcoholic drinks, but what are the effects of higher blood alcohol concentration in your ability to drive?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),  after 4 alcoholic drinks (BAC level of 0.08g/dL) and you go behind the wheel, you may experience:

• A decline in visual functions (rapid tracking in a moving target)
• A declined ability to multitask (divided attention)
• Reduced ability to track moving objects
• Loss of concentration
• Short-term memory loss
• Loss of control of the speed of the vehicle
• Reduced information processing capability (e.g. signal detection, visual search)
• Visual perception problems 
• Impaired coordination
• Difficulty steering
• Reduced response to emergency driving situations

Take in mind that 4 drinks is the approximate amount of alcohol that a 160-pound man would need to drink in one hour to reach the BAC level of 0.08g/dL. Therefore, if you have been drinking, please do not drive!