Alcohol Concentration

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the weight of alcohol in a fixed volume of blood. It is used to measure an individual's intoxication level. It is defined by state's law as the number of grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, the number of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath or the number of grams of alcohol per 67 milliliters of urine.

An individual's BAC or blood alcohol concentration is influenced by a variety of factors including: the individual's alcohol and food consumption, their body weight, their body's ratio of fat and muscle, their metabolic rate, their age and their dehydration level.

It is illegal in every state to operate a motorized vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher, whether the driver is impaired or not. It is also illegal to operate a motorized vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of any level if the driver is mentally or physically impaired to such a degree that they can not safely drive.

Law enforcement officers have the legal right to stop any driver they believe is intoxicated. Law enforcement officers have been trained to identify common signs of intoxication and may ask drivers who appear to be intoxicated to perform a field sobriety test and submit to a blood alcohol concentration test.