People in Florida who drink too much and get behind the wheel can be arrested and charged with drunk driving, including younger people who might not be as familiar with the signs that they have reached their legal limits. Since alcohol depresses the central nervous system, people are not as readily able to judge when they have had too much to drink and might think that they are okay to drive when they are legally drunk. Since the number of drinks it takes for someone to be drunk will vary based on multiple factors, it is best for people to plan ahead for how they will get home after going out for a few drinks.
DUI charges
In Florida, people can be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol when they have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher. They can also be charged with a DUI when they have ingested any amount of alcohol if it impairs their ability to safely drive or operate a vehicle. This means that people can be charged with DUIs even when they have less alcohol in their systems than 0.08 or when chemical tests are not completed.
Factors affecting blood alcohol concentration
People who drink the same amount of alcohol could respond very differently. Some of the factors that affect a person’s BAC include the following:
• Weight – Underweight people might have higher BACs than overweight people drinking the same amount of alcohol.
• Gender – Women’s BACs may be higher than men’s BACs when drinking the same amount of alcohol.
• Health conditions – Some underlying conditions can affect the metabolism of alcohol.
• Metabolic differences – Some people metabolize alcohol more efficiently than others.
• Food – BAC may be higher when people drink on empty stomachs.
• Strength and type of alcohol – Spirits may increase BAC faster with fewer drinks.
• Number of drinks – Consuming a large number of drinks in a short duration can result in a high BAC.
People should make arrangements for transportation when they go out to drink. Since a DUI can result in severe penalties, it is much better to pay for a ride home from a bar than to take a chance behind the wheel.
