If you find yourself facing drunk driving charges, your life could unravel quickly. Whether you lose your driving privileges, have to pay a steep fine, suffer damage to your reputation or even have to spend time behind bars, drunk driving charges are very serious. Sometimes, people find themselves facing these charges without realizing that a seemingly small amount of alcohol places them over the legal limit, while others face especially harsh penalties because of a much higher blood-alcohol content (BAC) level.
It is crucial to examine different factors that can affect your BAC level.
Weight, food and other factors that affect BAC levels
According to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, a host of factors can impact a person’s BAC level after drinking. For example, their body weight can impact their BAC level, as well as the amount of food they consumed before or during a drinking session. The number of drinks you consume, the strength of the drinks, the amount of time that passes after drinking and your gender can also impact your BAC level.
Some people do not realize that a mixed drink contains a higher amount of alcohol, or that they are still above the legal limit after a certain period of time, resulting in drunk driving charges.
BAC levels and drunk driving penalties
Your BAC level can affect the penalties you face if charged with driving drunk. For example, a BAC level above .18 could lead to aggravated drunk driving charges, which can lead to time behind bars. Moreover, drivers under 21 can face drunk driving charges if their BAC level is .02 or higher. Make sure you carefully address drunk driving charges and go over your case carefully.