The fact that it is legal to have some alcohol in your bloodstream – as long as you’re 21 or older – but that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can’t exceed a specific limit can be understandably frustrating. Some people can feel that they’re intoxicated when their BAC hovers around the legal limit and others can’t.
Because you can be pulled over and charged with drunk driving whether you feel drunk or not, the act of trying to sober up sufficiently before heading home from a bar, restaurant or event can feel like a need that must be met. However, it isn’t always easy to tell how quickly your BAC is dropping. This is especially true given that your BAC continues to rise for a while after you stop drinking.
Time, time and more time
Unfortunately, the only thing that is going to cause your BAC to drop is time. Therefore, if you’re unsure of whether your BAC has dropped below the legal limit or not, you’ll likely want to wait a while until you venture out.
“But wait,” you may be saying, “Can’t I drink coffee, eat something or take a cold shower to sober up faster?” Nope. Doing these things may help you to feel more alert but alertness isn’t what law enforcement officers measure when they ask you to submit to a breath, blood or urine test.
As an elevated BAC can lead to your arrest and an impaired driving conviction, it’s vitally important that you wait until you’re more sober than you “need” to be legally before getting behind the wheel. The only thing that is going to sober you up is time.
