Blood Alcohol Concentration Variables

The following information on blood alcohol concentration variables is provided by PritzkerOlsen, P.A., a leading Minnesota personal injury law firm. If you have been in a car accident involving a drunk driver, contact PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for a free consultation. Please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form for review by an attorney.

Blood Alcohol Concentration
Blood alcohol concentration is a measurement of the weight of alcohol in a certain volume of blood. Alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach and the small intestine, goes into the bloodstream, and travels throughout the body and to the brain.

Blood Alcohol Concentration Variables
Alcohol is quickly absorbed and can be measured within 30 to 70 minutes after a person has had a drink. How fast the blood alcohol concentration goes up is dependent on a number of factors:

The number of drinks consumed.
The speed at which the drinks are consumed.
The gender of the drinker. Women generally have less water and more body fat per pound of body weight than men. Alcohol does not go into fat cells as easily as other cells, so more alcohol remains in the blood of women.
The weight of the drinker. The more you weigh, the more water is present in your body. This water dilutes the alcohol and lowers blood alcohol concentration.
How much food is in the stomach. Absorption will be slowed if the drinker has had something to eat.

Because of the multitude of factors that affect blood alcohol concentration, it is very difficult to assess your own impairment. Though small amounts of alcohol affect one’s brain and the ability to drive, people often swear they are “fine” after several drinks – but in fact, the failure to recognize alcohol impairment is often a symptom of impairment.

A person will likely be too impaired to drive before looking – or maybe even feeling – “drunk.” Please do not drive after consuming alcohol.

Sources:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, A Guide to Understanding Blood Alcohol Concentration and Alcohol Impairment.
Arizona DUI Lawyer, Law Offices of Edward A. Loss, III, P.C, 5400 W. Northern Avenue, Suite 104, Glendale, AZ.

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