BAC Calculator

BAC Calculator

Maybe You
Shouldn’t Drive?

This is not intended as a scientific tool for measuring Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC), but is rather designed to help adults of legal drinking age understand the factors that affect their BAC. The information presented should not take the place of your own responsible decisions about drinking alcohol, or about whether and when it will be safe for you to drive.

Physical & Mental Impairment

Drinking even a slight amount of alcohol can impair your physical and mental faculties. The extent of impairment will depend on your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), or the percent of alcohol in your blood stream. Several factors contribute to a person’s BAC, including:

Amount of Alcohol
You Consume

Time Period Over Which You Consume It

Your Weight and Biological Gender

Whether You Have Taken Medication

Different State, Same Laws

• In every state, you are deemed to be legally impaired with a BAC of 0.08%, and you cannot drive.

• If you are a commercial driver, the legal limit is 0.04%. Most states also have “zero tolerance” laws.

• If you are under the legal drinking age of 21 in those states, you cannot drive with any trace of alcohol in your blood, or a BAC as low as 0.01%.

• Of course, in our view, the only safe BAC level for driving is 0.00% – no matter who you are!

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TYPES OF DRINKS

WHAT'S A STANDARD DRINK?

Beer

Amount: 12 oz.
ABV*: 4.5%
More: 16 oz. cup of beer = 1.4 drinks

Wine

Amount: 5 oz.
ABV*: 12%
More: 12 oz. glass of wine = 2.9 drinks

Cocktail

Amount: 1.5 oz.
ABV*: 40%
Cocktail (i.e. margarita) = 2-4 drinks

OUR MEASUREMENTS

BAC Calculator

Here, for educational purposes only, we present a BAC Calculator. You can use the calculator and our chart to estimate how alcohol will affect you and your ability to drive. We base the calculator and chart on information provided by:

Connecticut Clearinghouse
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Cleveland Clinic
Stanford University of Alcohol Policy and Education
Physical & Mental Effects of Drinking Alcohol

The effects of alcohol vary among individuals because of many factors and may be different for the same person at different times. The BACs shown are solely for illustrative purposes, and do not reflect the interaction of alcohol with prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal drugs. Mixing any drug with alcohol can be dangerous to you and to others. You should never drink and drive.

0.00 - No impairment. This is the only safe BAC level for driving.
0.01 - 0.03 - Slight physical and mental effects such as mood elevation. In most states, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher if you are under age 21.
0.04 – 0.06 - Relaxed feeling and slight impairment of memory, reasoning and attention. If you are a commercial driver, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.04% or higher.
0.07 – 0.09 - Noticeable impairment of speech, balance, vision and motor control. Significant impairment of driving skills. It is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08% or higher.
0.10 – 0.12 - Significant deterioration of judgment and motor control. Slurred speech and sleepiness may also be noticeable.
0.13 – 0.15 - Gross physical impairment, including blurred vision and loss of balance. Anxiety and restlessness may start to kick in.
0.16 – 0.20 - Vomiting and nausea. Dangerous impairment of reasoning.
0.21 – 0.30 - Severe physical and mental impairment. Many will experience "blackouts."
0.30 – 0.40 - Loss of consciousness and on the verge of coma.
0.41 – higher - Coma is likely and risk of death due to respiratory failure.

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