How many drinks will get you in DUI territory?
In most U.S. states, driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or more is illegal and triggers a “driving under the influence” (DUI) charge. However, most people don’t know how many bevvies equals a .08 reading. BAC depends on a variety of factors, but here’s a general idea.
Weight, gender, time, and strength of the drinks determine a person’s BAC
The University of Arizona Campus Health shared that a “standard drink” is either 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine, or a one-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor (40% ethanol).
| Women | BAC per drink | Men | BAC per drink |
| 100 lbs. | .045 | 140 lbs. | .026 |
| 140 lbs. | .032 | 180 lbs. | .020 |
| 180 lbs. | .025 | 220 lbs. | .017 |
Generally speaking, the lower your body weight, you’ll hit .08 BAC faster than a larger person. Moreover, women tend to have 30% less alcohol dehydrogenase (say that word 10 times fast). Dehydrogenase is a liver enzyme that metabolizes alcohol. As such, a woman will hit .08 faster than a male who’s pacing them drink-for-drink.
For most women weighing 140-180 lbs, consuming 2.5 to 3.5 standard drinks in a single hour will raise their BAC above .08.
For men weighing 280-220 lbs, 4 to 4.5 standard drinks in 60 minutes will cross .08 BAC.
Depending on your habits, this might seem like a lot in a small amount of time. However, attending a happy hour, wedding celebration, or other social shindigs can easily influence how quickly you consume two to four standard drinks.
Even if you consume just two standard drinks an hour for a “short” two hours, you might still be close to the .08 legal limit. To illustrate, the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration shared a handy-dandy chart. It reflects that a BAC lower than .08 can still significantly affect driving skills. BAC readings of .05-.07 can still result in criminal penalties.
Of course, the best way to avoid a DUI is simple: just don’t drink and drive, folks.
