A Blood Alcohol Concentration Calculator is a helpful tool for estimating BAC, but don’t rely on it for an accurate personal measurement. This calculator factors gender, weight and rate of consumption, but many other factors affect BAC and impairment: Age, fat/muscle content, metabolism, emotional state, medications, food, carbonated drinks, diabetes, alcohol intolerance and drinking history all influence alcohol’s effects. Alcohol impacts each individual differently, and even the same individual will experience different effects depending on changes in influencing factors. When it comes to alcohol and driving, the best approach is to avoid driving after you drink.
If you play around with the calculator a bit, you’ll notice that a linear increase in drinking doesn’t result in a linear increase in BAC. That’s because our bodies process alcohol at a rate of roughly one drink per hour. Consuming one drink per hour will have a minimal effect on your BAC, but each additional drink has a much more significant impact.
One more disclaimer: While .08 is the legal limit in Washington, that doesn’t mean driving at a bit less than a .08 is safe or that you can’t get a DUI. As mentioned earlier, alcohol affects everyone differently. Driving at .08 is an automatic DUI, but any amount of alcohol that impairs driving can result in a DUI.