Most people go to great lengths to ensure they do not pick up a DUI charge. Yet, many people do get them, so what is going wrong?
One of the reasons is that many people still like to have an alcoholic drink even though they are driving. So rather than abstain altogether, they try to estimate how much they can safely drink before they drive. This often goes wrong.
So many variables
Judging when you can safely drive is complex. It’s not just about the number of drinks. You need to consider the strength and quantity of the drinks, the time they were consumed over and the time between when the last drop is drunk and when you begin to drive.
Then there is any residual alcohol in the system from an earlier drink, such as if you drank something at lunchtime or the night before. You also need to consider any other contents in your stomach, as alcohol reaches your bloodstream faster on an empty stomach than on a fuller one.
Finally, there are individual differences to consider. Not everyone processes alcohol at the same rate. Women’s bodies are generally less effective than men’s at this, and smaller people may be more affected than larger ones, although it is actually far more complex than this.
As you can probably now see, trying to judge when you are safe to drink is not a reliable practice. If you got it wrong and ended up arrested for DUI, remember you may have viable defense options available to avoid your mistake turning into a criminal record.