Drinking this New Year's Eve?
Factors such as how long you imbibe, your weight, gender and the kind of alcohol you drink will all play a role in whether you become impaired. Any driver with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more is guilty of driving under the influence, according to Arizona law.
If you're thinking of using an online BAC calculator, be aware that some experts doubt their accuracy. There is no safe or conscientious way to drink even small amounts of alcohol and drive, many warn.
Guides are helpful, but be careful
Guidelines from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services tell us:
• A 120-pound woman who has one drink in an hour will have a BAC of 0.04 percent; two drinks in an hour, 0.08; three drinks in an hour, 0.11 percent.
People are also reading…
• A 180-pound woman who has one drink in an hour will have a BAC of 0.03 percent; two drinks in an hour, 0.05; three drinks in an hour, 0.08 percent.
• A 160-pound man who has one drink in an hour will have a BAC of 0.02 percent; two drinks in an hour, 0.05; and three drinks in an hour, 0.07 percent.
• A 220-pound man who has one drink in an hour will have a BAC of 0.02 percent; two drinks in an hour, 0.03; and three drinks in an hour, 0.05 percent.
These guidelines do not take into account differences in physical condition, food consumption and any drugs or medications, which can also influence blood-alcohol content.
Online blood-alcohol-content calculators
• The University of Oklahoma's Police Department: www.ou.edu/oupd/ bac.htm
• Healthstatus.com, a private, Indiana-based company: www. healthstatus.com/ cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi
• St. Louis-based Intoximeters, a private company that produces and markets alcohol-breath-testing instruments: www.intox.com/ wheel/drinkwheel.asp
• Kelly Larkin, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Southern Arizona, said:
"MADD's stance is that one drink is too many — designate a driver. We're not against drinking and having a good time, but if you are going to drink at all, designate a driver. Arizona is a zero-tolerance state. You can calculate all you want, but if you are impaired, you are impaired."
• Officer Chuck Rydzak, a Tucson Police Department spokesman, said:
"I don't think those online calculators are scientifically proven. We can charge someone for being impaired to the slightest degree, with no bearing on how much alcohol is in your system. The bottom line is you personally should know your limits, and if you can't rely on yourself, you need to rely on friends. If they say you've had too much, you have.
"When in doubt, don't drive. Listen to the people around you, and make sure the designated driver isn't a drinker. I stay close to home. I'm going to a party where I can walk."
• Jude McNally, managing director of the Tucson-based Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, said:
"Some people will get rid of alcohol four times faster than some others. There are genetic factors, environmental, what's in your stomach. We know it's different to have a glass of wine on an empty stomach than having one after dinner. There are sex differences, and the history of the person's alcohol use is hugely important.
"In general, one drink per every hour to hour and a half — for most people, that will keep them from being impaired. But that's not a guarantee. They have to know themselves. One drink is a little ambiguous. A glass of wine is supposed to be 6 ounces, but our favorite restaurant will give us more. . . .
"There are lots of ways we drive under the influence that cannot be measured by a specific value. We could take Benadryl and then after two drinks, we're wasted."
— Compiled by Stephanie Innes
On StarNet: Which eatery has the best hangover cure? Find out Thursday in Caliente which Tucson eatery readers picked. Plus, see the comments readers left at www.aznightbuzz.com/foodfight/
