Distracted driving and impaired driving are the two largest causes of auto accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 13,524 people died in drunk-driving crashes in 2022. And 37 people in the U.S. die in drunk-driving crashes every day – one person every 39 minutes.

About one-third of all vehicle crashes involve an impaired driver. Alcohol impairs thinking, slows reaction time and muscle coordination, and reduces brain function – which are significant liabilities for drivers.

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Tool: Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) calculator

Use this Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) calculator to see how drinking affects your blood-alcohol level, and how that compares to the DUI limit according to your state’s laws. This calculator considers your weight, gender, the time you’ll be out, the drinks you’ll consume and state laws.

Blood Alcohol Content Calculator

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BAC calculator Blood Alcohol Content 0.0284% A person's blood-alcohol level is the result of a complex interaction of weight, gender, alcohol consumed, and time The basic formula for estimating a person's blood-alcohol concentration comes from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Each drink in this calculation assumes a volume of .54 ounces of alcohol (one shot of distilled spirits, a glass of wine, or 12 ounces of beer).

Brent Buell,
Data Journalist, Licensed Insurance Expert

Before joining QuinStreet, Brent worked for nearly four years at NYCM Insurance (a personal and commercial insurance carrier based in New York) between his roles as a product analyst and a commercial lines underwriter. Before joining NYCM, Brent owned and operated a captive insurance agency. He holds a property & casualty broker's license and is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU).

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Insights by: Licensed Insurance Expert
Before joining QuinStreet, Brent worked for nearly four years at NYCM Insurance (a personal and commercial insurance carrier based in New York) between his roles as a product analyst and a commercial lines underwriter. Before joining NYCM, Brent owned and operated a captive insurance agency. He holds a property & casualty broker’s license and is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU).

Read full bio >>

Disclaimer: The Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) calculator is intended for educational purposes only. Contact a lawyer for any legal advice and a healthcare professional with any medical questions. Under no circumstances should one drink any amount of alcohol and then drive or operate machinery.

The legal limit for Blood Alcohol Concentration, or BAC, in most states, is .08 (in Utah, it’s .05).

The typical effects of alcohol at different Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) includes:

  • At .05: Exaggerated behavior, loss of small muscle control, impaired judgment, lowered alertness and inhibitions.
  • At .08: Poor muscle coordination affecting balance, speech, vision, reaction time and hearing, impaired judgment, self-control, reasoning and memory.
  • At .10: Clear deterioration of reaction time and control, slurred speech, slowed thinking and poor coordination.

You could still be impaired even if you’re below the legal limit. In 2019, according to the NHTSA, 1,775 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes where a driver had a BAC of .01 to .07.

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Plan ahead to avoid drinking and driving

You should never get behind the wheel after having a drink. It’s dangerous to get behind the wheel after even one drink and how the risk increases with each successive drink consumed.

A DUI conviction will cost you thousands of dollars and mar your record for years. And it will drive up your car insurance rates for just as long.

The NHTSA advises folks to make alternative plans for transportation if they plan on drinking. Here are a few tips:

  • Before beginning an evening out, designate a driver ahead of time.
  • Take the keys away from friends who have been drinking.
  • If you’re hosting a party, ensure your guests are sober when leaving. If not, order them a taxi, Uber or Lyft.
  • Always wear your seat belt.
Learn more about dui insurance

Resources & Methodology

Sources

NHTSA. “Drunk Driving.” Accessed August 2024.

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author-img Laura Longero Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert with more than 15 years of experience educating people about personal finance topics and helping consumers navigate the complexities of auto insurance. She writes and edits for QuinStreet’s CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Prior to joining QuinStreet, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network.
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John McCormick is an insurance expert and editor with more than 20 years of personal finance experience. He writes and edits for QuinStreet’s CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, he was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance and technology.
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