By:  LINDSEY O’NEILL, ESQ.

I’ve been watching a marathon of Mad Men.  Even if you’ve only seen one episode, you know those mad, mad men (and women) drink a lot!  My goodness!  In one particular eposite, a bottle or two of vodka was thrown back before jumping in the car to drive home.  I don’t know how strict the impaired driving laws were in Mad Men times, but I do know that drinking and driving is taken quite seriously under the law today.  Over one million adults per year are estimated to be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or illicit drugs.  The question is often asked… how many drinks does it take to get a DUI?   Guess that means our generation isn’t far from what we see on Mad Men… 

Every State has passed a law making it illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. A driver also can be arrested with a BAC below .08 when a law enforcement officer has probable cause, based on the driver’s behavior.  So, how many drinks will put your BAC over the legal limit?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a typical drink equals about half an ounce of alcohol (.54 ounces, to be exact). This is the approximate amount of alcohol found in:
■ one shot of distilled spirits, or
■ one 5-ounce glass of wine, or
■ one 12-ounce beer.

For a 175 lb. guy, just two or three drinks could result in a BAC around .08.  For a 125 lb. woman, just one or two drinks could result in BAC over the legal limit.  See the BAC impairment chart on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association website, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

The bottom line is this…. regardless of how many drinks it takes to get a DUI, it only takes one cab ride home NOT to get one.   Be smart.  Be safe.  Don’t drink and drive.