Alcohol

Impaired Driving

BAC%
DRINKS CONSUMED
EFFECTS
Male
Female
0.02% 1 1 Ability to track moving objects and do tasks requiring divided attention may suffer.

0.05%

 2 to 3 1 to 2 Thought, judgment and restraint more lax. Steering errors increase. Vision impaired.

0.08%

 3 to 4 2 to 4 Legal limit in most states. Drivers are 3 to 4 times more likely to crash than a sober driver. Movements are clumsy. Reaction time slows more.

0.10%

 3 to 5 2 to 5 Drivers are 6 times more likely to crash. Movements are clumsy. Reaction time slows even more.

0.15%

 4 to 7 3 to 7 Crashing is 25 times more likely. Reaction time increasingly affected especially in divided tasks. Field of vision narrows.
One drink = 1 oz. 80 proof spirits = 3 oz. glass of 12% wine
= 12 oz. glass of 5% beer

Figures contained in the charts are averages, BAC and effects of alcohol on individuals vary widely.

Visible Signs of Intoxication

Law enforcement officials and the courts use Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC) to determine levels of intoxication. While licensees are not expected to know a person's BAC, licensees should be able to recognize the warning signs of intoxication.

By using careful observation and good judgment, licensees (their employees and agents) can interpret the behavior of their customers in terms of alcohol consumption. Alcohol affects a person's inhibitions first, then judgment, reactions and finally coordination. Following are examples of each of these stages:

  • Loss of inhibitions: being overly friendly, bravado, loud speech, changing from quiet to loud, drinking alone, annoying other customers.
  • Impaired judgment: complains about the strength of a drink, orders doubles, argumentative, foul language, careless with money, buys drinks for strangers, irrational statements.
  • Loss of reactions: lights more than one cigarette at a time, unable to light a cigarette, eyes are glassy, dilated or bloodshot, loss of train of thought, slurred speech, thick tongue when speaking.
  • Loss of coordination: can't pick up change, spilling drinks, unable to sit up straight or falls off stool, staggering or unbalanced walk, stumbles or bumps into objects.

Alcoholic Beverages Equivalencies

It takes the body approximately one hour to eliminate each of the following servings of beer, wine and liquor.

  • 12 oz. of 5 percent alcohol beer
  • 5 oz. of 12 percent alcohol wine
  • 1-1/2 oz. of 80-proof liquor

Serving sizes may vary (1 oz. vs. 1-1/2 oz.) depending on the alcoholic content of the liquor, wine and beer. Mixed drinks using two or more shots are equal to two or more servings.