Know Your Limits Before You Drink & Drive
It’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 and higher in all states, but each state has different penalties for DUI offenders. When a slight increase in your BAC (.01) can make a big difference in your life and livelihood, it’s best to know the penalties and your limits before you need a DUI lawyer in Minnesota.
Women & Men Metabolize Alcohol Differently
It’s common knowledge that most men can consume more alcohol than most women without showing any signs of intoxication. This is due primarily to three factors: weight, quantity of alcohol consumed, and time. In other words, the effects of alcohol are in direct proportion to how an individual metabolizes alcohol over time.
The rule-of-thumb is that you may consume one beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine or 1.5 oz. of measured spirits in a one-hour time period and feel comfortable knowing that you’re within your legal and metabolic limits. Having food in your stomach also helps with alcohol absorption.
Hormones can also play a role in how a person metabolizes alcohol, so you want to be alert to medications you may be taking that effect your estrogen or testosterone levels.
People with medical conditions such as diabetes and who are taking prescribed drugs will metabolize alcohol differently as well and you want to talk to your doctor before mixing the two, if at all.
If you’re drinking water along with your alcoholic beverage of choice, this aids in flushing the alcohol out of your system. While you may not drink enough to be considered legally drunk, the effects of alcohol will be minimized if you take this precaution.
How Much Alcohol is Too Much?
You may not realize how much it really takes to reach the level of legal intoxication until you e started calculating BAC levels* using different scenarios.
A 210-lb man, for example, could consume several beers while out with his bowling buddies. Let’s say he’s at a League tournament and drinks 10 beers over six hours (which sounds like a whole lot of beer!) from 6 p.m. to midnight. His actual BAC, however, would be 0.076. He’s on the edge, but not technically illegal.
Now, adding just one more beer to the evening pushes his BAC to 0.09. This tiny 0.01 over the limit could land him in jail!
If an average-sized woman (150 lbs.) consumed the same amount of beer, her BAC would more than double (0.19), which could place her in a whole lot of trouble.
DUI Offenders Face Stiff Sanctions
First-time offenders face suspension of their driver’s license, fines, fees and criminal penalties upon conviction.
- Jail – Up to 90 Days
- Fine – $1,000
- License Suspension – Up to 90 Days
- License Suspension – 180 Days (If alcohol concentration .20 or above)
- License Suspension – 180 Days (If passenger under 16 in vehicle)
- License Suspension – 1 Year (DWI test refused)
- Limited License – Must Wait 15 Days (If there are no aggravating circumstances)
- Fee – $250 License reinstatement
- Fee – $430 License reinstatement surcharge
- Fee – $24 Driver license application fee
In addition, the Minnesota State legislature passed a new law in 2010 that states DUI offenders with a 0.16 and above alcohol-concentration level will be required to have ignition interlock devices installed on any vehicle they drive. Those who choose not to use ignition interlocks will have their driving privileges revoked from 1 year to 6 years, depending on the circumstances.
While the state of Minnesota does not prohibit reduction of DUI charges into lesser criminal offenses, the reality is that obtaining such a favorable plea option often requires the professional insight of a Minnesota DUI lawyer.
*Calculations should only be used as a reference as each individual has unique physical characteristics such as weight, sex, body-fat percentage and genetics that play a role in determining their BAC level.
