Posts Tagged ‘Blood Alcohol Content’

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What Factors Affect BAC in Women?

Posted on Mar 07, 2012

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, a man and a woman consuming similar quantities of alcohol can have different BAC levels. This is because women have less water and more fat tissues which leads to lower absorption of alcohol and a higher BAC. Moreover, women’s bodies are smaller; so while one drink for a 120 pound woman can lead to higher BAC, the same drink for a man who weighs more could lead to a normal BAC.

Factors Affecting Women’s BAC

There are many factors which affect a person’s BAC. This includes:

• The body weight and size of the person,
• Gender,
• Physical condition,
• The amount and type of food eaten,
• Amount of sleep,
• Types of medication taken
• The alcohol content of the drink.

The most important factor affecting the blood alcohol content is the size and gender of the person. With the increase in body weight, the BAC also varies. If the body weight is about 90 pounds, then the BAC would be about .05; however, if the body weight is 220 pounds, then the BAC will be about .04.

Women, on average, have a smaller built than men, hence equal doses of alcohol lead to higher BAC in women. Moreover, as women have more body fat which contains lesser water, alcohol does not get easily diluted which leads to higher blood concentration levels in women. Alcohol dehydrogenase, which helps the body expel alcohol from the system, is found less in women which leads to more pure alcohol entering their bloodstream. The hormone levels of women also fluctuate, and alcohol sets in faster when estrogen levels are higher, such as during the premenstrual period.

Irrespective of the offender’s gender, DWI laws are quite strict and the consequences are similar in various states of the US. It is necessary that offenders undergo a series of tests to analyze the amount of alcohol consumed. The testing procedures are same for both men and women.

Reasons for Drunk Driving Among Women

The major reason for higher DWI cases among women is the change in lifestyle and increase in stress which has lead to alcohol abuse. Various drunk driving cases have resulted in fatal accidents as well as severe injuries. Heavy drinking among women can also lead to health problems and health conditions like miscarriages and complications during pregnancy.

Though there are different DWI laws for women, those are as strict as the laws for men and the consequences are just as severe ranging from penalties to license suspension.

Alcohol Abuse, Blood Alcohol Content, DWI, DWI Laws, DWI cases, Drunk Driving5 Comments »BAC Effects BAC Level BAC Women Blood Alcohol Content Drunk Driving DWI Law

Levels of Alcohol Intoxication

Posted on Feb 16, 2012

Every year thousands of people die due to drunk driving incidents in the US alone. In 2010, there were 10,228 fatalities in crashes involving a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher, which accounted for 31% of total traffic fatalities for the year. This is despite strict and stringent laws against drunk driving. What can be the reason? One obvious reason is recklessness, another reason accountable for this problem is that most people feel they can control themselves before they get legally intoxicated or reach higher levels, and even if they do, they feel they can control their reactions, which is a myth. For this reason, it can help to know the various stages of alcohol intoxication.

Different Levels of Intoxication

There are different stages of alcohol intoxication depending upon the number of drinks you have had and your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content). The various stages include:

Euphoria

A BAC of .08 in most states of the U.S is considered to be the limit at which a person is considered legally intoxicated. Euphoria is the stage when the BAC is .10. It results in a reduced capacity to control impulsive reactions, the intoxicated person starts to talk incessantly, becomes more daring and loses fine motor skills because of which driving becomes difficult.

Excitement

The next level is that of excitement in which the BAC reaches .20. Senses reduce in their normal capacity and become dull, short term memory loss may occur and the vision becomes blurry. It becomes increasingly difficult to perform functions that require gross motor skills.

Confusion

A BAC of .30 leads to confusion, the person has no idea what he is doing, emotions run high and he becomes extremely sleepy. Vision becomes blurry because of which it becomes difficult to walk.

Stupor

Higher BAC such as .40 leads to progressive lethargy. A person can barely move and it becomes impossible to stand or walk. Such a person can also not respond to external stimuli. Because this level is equal to stage 1 anesthesia, the person may become unconscious.

Coma

A BAC of .50 indicates the stage of coma. The intoxicated person becomes completely unconscious, his breathing becomes shallow and the body temperature goes down, pulse rate may also become slow, in some cases the person may also die due to such high levels of BAC.

Death

When the BAC goes over .50, breathing becomes increasingly difficult, respiratory centers start shutting down and such a high BAC can lead to death.

Being aware of the symptoms and effects of various levels of intoxication, one can not only protect oneself but to also be able to help others out when they reach such high levels.

Alcohol Abuse, Blood Alcohol Content, Drunk DrivingNo Comments »Alcohol Intoxication Levels Blood Alcohol Content Drunk Driving

Man Arrested For DUI Abandoned Young Children in Vehicle

Posted on Jan 25, 2012

In Attleboro, Mass., a male driver was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). That’s not all! During his arrest, he apparently forgot to mention to the tow truck driver that his two small children were in the back seat of his Mercedes-Benz as it was being towed away!

Driving While Intoxicated: Fredly Misere DWI Incident

Fredly Misere, 50, was detained by law enforcement officers early Sunday morning because he appeared to be under the influence. According to several reports, Misere left his two daughters, a 3-month old and a 4-year old, in the back of his motor vehicle which was towed away.

DWI Offense on I-95

His vehicle was left on I-95 South, near Route 123 interchange with his two daughters inside. A tow truck was called to the scene. An employee from Sterry Street Towing found Misere who was fast asleep with a beer bottle on his lap. According to the tow truck driver, he had to knock on the window of the vehicle to get the driver’s attention.

Abandoned Children Discovered by Tow Truck Driver

Law enforcement later arrived at the scene of the incident, but by that time Misere’s vehicle, which was heavily tinted, was already hooked to the tow truck. The tow truck driver took the vehicle to the yard, that’s when the two small children were discovered by the driver. According to the tow truck driver, he heard noises coming from the back seat of the vehicle and that was when he discovered the children. It was not until Misere was in the back of the police car that he told officers he was worried about his girls.

Man Arrested For DUI Abandoned Young Children in Vehicle

This is not the first time something like this has happened and it won’t be the last. This is what alcohol can do to you. Hence driving with high blood alcohol content (BAC) should be avoided at all costs. The incident fortunately had a good ending and could have ended much worse. I’m just glad that the kids are safe.

Alcohol Abuse, Blood Alcohol Content, DUI, DWI, Drunk Driving1 Comment »Blood Alcohol Content driving while intoxicated DUI Arrest DWI offense