My father has two or three drinks several times a week. He says that he does not feel impaired in any way by his drinking and has driven his car afterward. He’s probably not legally drunk, right?

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Many factors contribute to a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC), so it’s hard to say whether or not he was legally drunk when he drove. Here are some influences on the effect alcohol has on an individual:

  • gender;
  • age;
  • body weight;
  • body type;
  • the amount of food eaten;
  • prescription or illegal drugs also being used; and
  • the amount of alcohol consumed.

The following information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may help you and your father understand BAC levels and their predictable effect on driving:

0.02 percent BAC causes a decline in visually tracking a moving target and in the ability to perform two tasks at the same time.

0.04 percent BAC causes a reduction in coordination and the ability to track moving objects, difficulty steering, and impaired response to emergency driving situations.

0.08 percent BAC causes difficulty with concentration, information processing, and controlling speed; short-term memory loss; and impaired perception.

0.10 percent BAC causes difficulty maintaining lane position and braking appropriately.

0.15 percent BAC causes substantial impairment in controlling the vehicle, paying attention, and essential visual and auditory processing.                                          

If your loved one has been killed in a Kentucky car crash by an alcohol-impaired driver, contact a wrongful death attorney in Louisville. Call Gray and White Law at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456 to set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation.