Blood Alcohol Content Infographic
January 7, 2014

Understanding blood alcohol content and how it affects the body. Please feel free to share our Blood Alcohol Content Infographic on your website, social media pages, loved ones, schools, and even your community.

Blood Alcohol Content or B.A.C.

The total ratio of alcohol to blood volume is known as the Blood Alcohol Content (B.A.C.) or the Blood Alcohol Level (B.A.L.).

Alcoholic Beverage Serving Sizes 

Even though drinks come in different sizes, a standard drink contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol. That amount can be found in the following kinds of beverages.

·         Regular Beer – 12 fluid ounces of 5% alcohol

·         Malt Liquor – 8-9 fluid ounces of 7% alcohol

·         Table Wine – 5 fluid ounces of 12% alcohol

·         80 Proof Spirits – 1.5 fluid ounces of 40% alcohol

Calculating Blood Alcohol Content 

A person’s estimated Blood Alcohol Content is based on the number of servings of alcohol consumed, body weight and whether the person is male or female.t

How long does it take for alcohol to process through the system? People only burn about .016% off their Blood Alcohol Level each hour. There is no way to sober up more quickly. Drinking coffee, exercising, vomiting or taking a cold shower won't help a person sober up.

Physical Effects

0.02% Relaxed, reaction time goes down

0.04% Relaxation continues, buzz develops and reaction time continues to slow

0.06% Cognitive judgement impaired, less able to process information

0.08% Motor coordination goes downhill

0.10% Clear breakdown in judgement and coordination, visibly sloppy

0.15-0.25% High risk of blackouts and injuries

0.25-0.40% Can lose consciousness, risk of death

0.40-0.45% Lethal dose for most people

Legal Alcohol Limit

Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offense with a B.A.C. of 0.08% or higher.

Sources

This information seeks to educate people on alcohol consumption and its physical side effects. This information is not meant to convey that any level of drinking is safe.

Virginia Tech Division of Student Affairs – alcohol.vt.edu

University Health Services at Berkeley – uhs.berkeley.edu

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – niaaa.nih.gov