The level of blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of driving
is used as evidence that a person was driving while intoxicated (DUI).
It is illegal in all states to drive if your BAC level is 0.08% or
higher. If you’re a minor, then the legal limit is 0.02%. Because BAC
establishes whether a person is guilty of DUI and also the severity of
penalties in some states, getting an accurate reading is imperative. If you’re pulled over by a police officer for a DUI, the officer will
likely request that you blow into the breathalyzer to get a BAC reading
for you. A breathalyzer attempts to measure the amount
of alcohol expelled by the air in your lungs. The alcohol in the air
you breathe out is assumed to be at the same concentration as the
alcohol in your blood. However, many people have shown that the results
of a breathalyzer test are very often inaccurate. The other way to gauge BAC is using a blood test.
Blood is drawn from the subject (usually at the police station after
arrest), which is then tested for the amount of alcohol in it. Blood
tests are almost always more accurate than breath tests since the
alcohol is measured directly from the subject's blood instead of
secondhand from the subject’s breath. This doesn’t mean that blood tests
are infallible, however. In some states, there is only one level of penalty if you register a
BAC level of 0.08% or more in a DUI as a first time offender. Penalties
will vary depending on which state you’re in, so be sure to check your
particular state’s laws. DUI penalties can look something like this for a
first conviction: Other states have graded levels of DUI charges depending on your BAC
level, which will determine the specific severity of consequences if
you’re convicted. This means that if your BAC level is extremely high,
then your penalty will also be much worse than it would be if you had a
lower BAC level. These states typically have three tiers of DUI charges.
Each state’s laws have variations, so your state may have slightly
different penalties or definitions. Keeping that in mind, here’s a
typical breakdown of how a state with three tiers of DUI offenses often
defines them (for first time convictions). General impairment: BAC between 0.08% and 0.099%
A general impairment DUI charge usually counts as a misdemeanor and
tends to carry relatively light penalties, such as fines less than $500,
probation ranging from six months to a year, and substance abuse
program attendance. High rate of BAC: BAC ranges from 0.10% to 0.159%
A high rate DUI charge has somewhat more serious penalties associated
with it. Penalties in different states can approximate these: driver
license suspension for a year, jail time anywhere from 2 days to 6
months, fines ranging from $500 to $5000, and substance abuse program
attendance. Highest rate of BAC: BAC is 0.16% or more
Penalties for highest rate BAC charges can include driver license
suspension for a year, jail time of 3 days to 6 months, fines ranging
from $1000 to $5000, and substance abuse program attendance. Always
remember that DUI punishments vary state to state, so check your state’s
laws regarding definitions and sentencing.Determining BAC
DUI Penalties
Graded DUI Charges/Penalties Based on BAC
DUI Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
by Ethan P Meaney on Jun. 11, 2014
Summary
The level of blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of driving is used as evidence that a person was driving while intoxicated (DUI). It is illegal in all states to drive if your BAC level is 0.08% or higher. Thus, getting an accurate reading is imperative.
