How to Calculate Your Own Blood Alcohol Level

Blood Alcohol Content, or BAC, is one of the most crucial components of determining DWI arrests. BAC is a measure of the ratio of alcohol in your blood. The most accurate way to measure your BAC is to take an actual blood test, because this will give you an exact percentage. Luckily, there are other ways to calculate your own BAC that will give you a very close estimation. Knowing different ways to calculate your own BAC is very important for any driver, because you should want to know if it’s legally safe to drive your car after drinking. This will protect you from getting a DWI, and it will also protect you and other drivers from any serious car accidents.

Know the Different Factors: The legal level of BAC is .08%. For most people, your weight, gender and age are the three main factors that will decide what your BAC is and if it has reached the legal level. Know your current weight, because alcohol absorption will affect how much water you have in your body. Men and women metabolize alcohol very differently, and combined with weight, these two factors will produce different BAC results. Your age is also a determining factor, because the older we get, the slower our alcohol metabolism becomes.

Track Your Drinking: While you’re drinking, keep track of how much you’re drinking, what kind of alcohol you’re drinking, and how fast you’re drinking. All of these things, along with your body factors, can help you estimate your BAC.

Use All Information to Estimate Your BAC: As mentioned before, the most accurate way to figure out your BAC is to take a blood test. However, this is not always the easiest and most convenient way to calculate, so there are two other methods that can also work. You can print out a BAC chart to keep in your wallet or purse, which easily outlines where you’re at in relation to number of drinks and your blood alcohol level. You can also use an online BAC calculator by just entering your alcohol intake and weight to get a reasonable calculation. However, know that most of these methods will only give you an approximation, and you should do what you can to avoid driving after drinking alcohol.

Determining your intoxication is a great way to prevent a DWI, but anybody can still be pulled over by suspicious police and charged. If you have been charged with driving while intoxicated, contact a lawyer from The Goolsby Law Firm to get an experienced DWI lawyer to defend you in court.

Mike Goolsby

A veteran in both civil court cases and criminal defense, Mike Goolsby is a respected lawyer with more than 16 years of experience practicing law. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas in 1990, followed by his J.D. from the prestigious Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1994. After earning his law degree, Mr. Goolsby worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. As a trial lawyer, he was able to gain exceptional access to the criminal court system in this major metropolitan area, giving him immeasurable, distinct experience that helped him build a solid foundation for his own private legal practice. Mr. Goolsby went on to practice civil law for Maverick Acceptance Group, a venture capital company. Here, he gained invaluable knowledge of the civil side of the law, adding to his already diverse portfolio of legal expertise. In 1999, he opened the doors of The Goolsby Law Firm and has been successfully serving the residents of North Texas ever since. As an attorney, Mr. Goolsby combines his experience in both the civil and criminal fields to offer unmatched legal representation to his clients. With a long list of satisfied clients, Mr. Goolsby continues to build his practice through fair and aggressive legal defense.