It is illegal for drivers to operate a vehicle with a BAC (blood-alcohol concentration) above 0.08%. Also, commercial drivers are not allowed to operate their commercial vehicle with a BAC above 0.04% and any driver under 21 is not allowed to operate a car with any level of alcohol that would register on a blood or breath test. You may have wondered why the government arrived at these percentages and enforced them as the standards. The CD says that there are symptoms of intoxication when a driver has even a 0.02% BAC.
At 0.02%, most people already have some loss of judgment and are more relaxed than is typical. As well, they often experience slight body warmth and an altered mood at this stage of intoxication. This can lead to a slight decline in visual functions when driving or a slight decline in the ability to perform two tasks at the same time because of a lack of divided attention. Once a driver has a 0.05% BAC, the symptoms of intoxication are more evident.
A person who has consumed alcohol to this level will typically perform exaggerated behaviors, and will suffer from impaired judgment, lowered awareness, and a release of inhibition. As well, a driver at this point will be experiencing a loss of small muscle control, such as the ability to focus his or her eyes. Behind the wheel, these symptoms will translate to a difficulty steering, a reduced ability to track any moving objects, and reduced coordination. As well, if there is an emergency driving situation, chances are that the driver will not be quick to respond because of his or her inhibitions.
Once a driver gets to 0.08% BAC, which is the legal limit for most drivers, that person will be experiencing poor muscle coordination and will have a harder time detecting danger. At this point, most drivers will start to lose judgment, self-control, reasoning, and memory. A driver may be losing balance, speech capabilities, vision capabilities, and an ability to hear at this point. As well, the individual may have a loss of reaction time.
When this translates to driving, it can cause a person to fail to control the speed of the vehicle. As well, people with a 0.08% often can't process information such as a traffic signal or a sign that is serving as a warning of a construction or a roadblock up ahead. Drivers at this stage often struggle with concentration, short-term memory loss, and impaired perception.
Once a driver has a 0.10% BAC, the symptoms increase and a driver will not be able to react properly to a dangerous situation or control a car correctly. As well, police can detect slurred speech, poor coordination, and slowed thinking. Drivers with a 0.10% BAC often can't maintain a lane position and will not be able to brake appropriately, which can lead to terrible collisions in some situations.
When a driver hits a 0.15% BAC, the individual will have far less muscle control than normal, and may vomit. People with a BAC to this degree often have a major loss of balance and will not be able to drive or process any visual or auditory information such as sirens of emergency vehicles, brake lights of cars ahead, or traffic signals. If you have been arrested for a driving with an illegal BAC, then you need to talk to a local DUI attorney today and seek representation at your trial. You will want a lawyer there to help you as you defend yourself and prove that you don't deserve the sentences that may await.