Levels of BAC Effects

When police stop suspected drunk drivers, they usually want to administer a breathalyzer to determine the driver’s blood alcohol level (BAC). It’s a reasonable request and often a requirement of local laws. The strange thing is very few people actually understand the results, which police offer as their BAC. For a better understanding of the law, we outline blood alcohol content and the BAC effects.

What is Blood Alcohol Content?

Science has taught us that a human’s motor skills become impaired at a specific blood alcohol content level or BAC. According to Wikipedia, the definition of blood alcohol content is: “a percentage of ethanol in the blood in units of mass of alcohol per volume of blood.” That’s not easy for the layperson to understand, but it does represent what science is trying to measure.

BAC Effects

Before we explain the levels of BAC effects, let’s qualify the information provided. Law enforcement officials and scientists use this rating system as a general guideline. It does not take into account things like the drinker’s body weight or metabolism. It simply uses a BAC rating to guesstimate how the alcohol affects an individual’s motor function and decision-making capabilities.

Here are the current BAC effects guidelines:

• .00-.0199 – no issues
• .02-.0599 – Individual becomes relaxed and perhaps slightly light-headed
• .06-.0799 – Judgment, perception, and information processing are becoming impaired
• .08-.0999 – Loss of balance and eye-hand coordination. Slurred speech
• .10-.1399 – Motor skills become significantly impaired as does memory and decision-making capabilities
• .14-.1999 – Blackout stage. Difficulty talking, walking, or even standing
• .20-above – Dangerous levels of impairment. Alcohol poisoning becomes an issue

Anyone who operates above the .08 level on a regular basis is probably close to alcohol addiction. When that’s the case, alcoholism treatment becomes an important consideration.

Treatment Programs at Beaches Recovery

At Beaches Recovery facility in Jacksonville, Florida, we offer a variety of alcohol addiction treatment programs. In fact, we offer an extensive menu of therapies and treatments that cover most substance addictions as well as specific groups of people. The list includes:

• First responders alcohol treatment center
• A young adult treatment program
• Alcohol rehab for men
• Alcohol rehab for women
• Detox programs at Tides Edge
• Inpatient and outpatient treatment options
• Aftercare treatment options

When using the BAC effects scale, it becomes clear whether or not someone is intoxicated. If you believe you hit the ratings on a regular basis, it might be time to admit you have an alcohol problem. If you do, you can take comfort in knowing Beaches Recovery is ready to help. With a simple phone call to our expert counselors at 866.605.0532, you can begin working on your addiction. In time, you’ll find you can live a better life in recovery that you ever could with the bottle.