DUI DEFENSE - Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

When you are arrested for DUI, if you take a breathalyzer test or have blood drawn at a hospital, the police are attempting to measure what is known as your blood alcohol concentration, or “BAC.”  What exactly does BAC refer to?   In the United States, BAC is measured by dividing grams of alcohol by 100 milliliters of blood. This is then made in to a percentage. In Pennsylvania, since the legal limit is .08%, this means that for every 100 mL of blood, there are 8 grams of alcohol in the blood stream.  This is how blood alcohol is determined if you have been pulled over for DUI.

In Pennsylvania, if your BAC is .08% or higher you may be charged with DUI.  This number is lower for minors (persons under the age of 21 for purposes of DUI) and drivers that possess a commercial driver’s license.

There are many factors that determine an individual’s BAC. The more you drink, the higher your BAC rises. But two people can drink the same amount over the same time period and have dramatically different BACs. Your body size, whether or not you drank on an empty stomach, your percentage of body fat, and your gender affect your BAC. A woman almost always will have a higher BAC than a man who has consumed the same amount of alcohol.

There are many myths about how to become sober quickly. These may include taking a cold shower, drinking coffee or making yourself vomit. However, none of these are true. The only thing that will help you to become sober is time.

There are calculators that you can purchase or find on the Internet that will estimate your BAC depending upon your weight and how many drinks you have had over a period of time. However, because people’s bodies are so different, this is not a safe way to determine your BAC. Home Breathalyzer kits may also seem like a good way to determine blood alcohol content. Unfortunately, these are often inaccurate, and should not be used to determine if it is safe for you to drive.

The most accurate way to measure your alcohol level is to have your blood drawn and analyzed by a doctor or medical professional.  Unfortunately, this is not a practical solution when you have been out drinking and are faced with trying to get home.  The safest way to protect yourself from DUI arrests or accidents is to refrain from driving after you have been drinking.  After all, it’s much cheaper to take a cab home than to fight a DUI arrest.

If you’ve been arrested for DUI, please call my office at 412-429-4360, email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact me through this website for a free initial consultation to discuss your options.