Night clubs and bars are installing breathalyzers to help keep drunk patrons off the road.
A breathalyzer is a device that determines blood alcohol content (BAC) by measuring the amount of ethanol in the breath. Alcohol from your blood stream turns into ethanol vapor in your lungs.
Intoxicated
Just a few drinks can make you legally impaired.
A BAC reading of .147 indicates you are intoxicated. In most states, a BAC reading of .08 or higher is considered legally impaired and in some states, the level is as low as .05. With a BAC level of .147 you could be arrested for public intoxication or driving while intoxicated (also known as driving under the influence).
BAC Factors
Different drinks contain different alcohol content.
Several factors can affect the level of alcohol a breathalyzer test reveals. Your gender, height and weight affect the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into your blood. The number of drinks you had and how long it took to ingest them is also a determinant.
Calculating BAC
According to Hobart and Smith Colleges, the formula most commonly used for calculating blood alcohol content is the Widmark formula. It uses the number of drinks, the amount of alcohol in each drink and the amount of water in the subject's blood as factors. The subject's weight and the time frame involved are also considered to calculate BAC level.
