What Exactly Does BAC Mean?

Blood Alcohol Content or Blood Alcohol Level represents the percentage of your blood that is concentrated with alcohol. It is measured by estimating the amount in milligrams of alcohol that is present in 100 ml of blood. Alcohol is easily absorbed in the body and usually reaches the peak concentrations after an hour. 90% of the alcohol is metabolized by the liver, with the rest being passed through exhaled breath and urine.

High concentrations of Blood Alcohol Content can depress the central nervous system. This lowers the drinkers' mental acuity, something that is chiefly responsible for most workplace and traffic accidents. In some instances, higher than normal Blood Alcohol Content levels can induce coma and ultimately lead to death. A blood alcohol content test can be carried out to determine if your BAC levels are over the legal limits.

A BAC test is carried out to check for the following:

1)Measure the alcohol levels in the bloodstream when you are suspected of being drunk over the legal limits. Symptoms of such high alcohol levels include lack of coordination, confusion, unsteady gait or erratic and dangerous driving.

2)Determine the reason for altered mental state such as coma, disorientation or confusion.

3)To check for the presence of alcohol in persons who are prohibited from consuming alcohol such as underage children or individuals in a rehabilitation facility.

The BAC test is done through the following steps:

An elastic rubber band is wrapped on the upper arm to constrict the blood flow. This makes the veins below the skin to become more prominent, making it easier to inject the vein.  The needle site is cleaned using disinfectants such as antiseptic soap or povidone-iodine solution.  The needle is then stuck into the vein. This procedure can be repeated until sufficient blood is collected via a tube attached to the needle.

Exercising, drinking coffee or taking a cold shower like you often see in the movies, won't reduce the BAC levels. Only time will allow your body to process the alcohol through your system. Therefore if you consider yourself legally drunk, it's advisable not to drive until the alcohol levels are sufficiently low. Drinking a few glasses of water can help to lower the BAC levels faster.

Based on the recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most states have legal drinking limits. Such limits state that the driving under influence (DUI) conviction stands when the blood alcohol concentration is over 0.08%. Thus legal intoxication can be defined as having BAC levels that exceed 0.08%. For persons under the age of 18, this limit is lower and is sometimes pegged at 0.02%. 

If you are caught by police with an illegal BAC level than the court will most likely mandate that you take a DUI or alcohol education class to show retribution.  Online alcohol and drug awareness classes are a convenient, low cost way to fulfill this mandate.  Look for a high quality class that is designed by a specialist in the field.  They are interesting, thought-provoking and will help you adjust your thinking about ever getting behind the wheel while drunk again.