If you get arrested for drinking and driving, you may worry about how the potential of a conviction could affect your finances, reputation and employment. Some of the common penalties for DUI include the requirement to pay a fine, spend time in jail and perform community service.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, it is illegal to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol content level at or above 0.08. But there are many factors that can affect your BAC level and how quickly it rises after you consume alcohol.
Food in your stomach
When you have food in your stomach, the alcohol will travel into your bloodstream at a slower rate than if you drank alcohol on an empty stomach. For this reason, your BAC level may rise at a slower pace if you ate before you consumed alcohol than if you started drinking without eating first.
Your rate of consumption
Your liver can metabolize approximately one alcoholic beverage every hour. If you drink alcohol quickly, your BAC level will rise faster than if you consumed the same amount of alcohol at a slower pace.
Your gender
Most women’s bodies have more fatty tissue and less water than men’s bodies. As a result, men typically have lower BAC levels after consuming alcohol than women because the water in their bodies helps dilute the concentration of alcohol.
Other factors that can affect how quickly your BAC level rises include any medications you take, your weight, your stress level and your general alcohol tolerance. If you face charges for a DUI, take steps to protect yourself and your legal interests at this time.
