Factors that affect your blood alcohol content after drinking

If you are pulled over for a DUI in Scottsdale, AZ the officer will ask you to consent to a portable breath test (PBT) to check your blood alcohol content.

Blood alcohol content is the concentration of alcohol in a person’s blood and is usually measured as mass per volume. For example, a BAC of 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 grams of an individual’s blood, or .8 grams of alcohol per 1000 grams of blood.

Your blood alcohol content (BAC) can be affected by several factors including the following.

Factors that affect your BAC

• Gender - The Portable Breath Test (PBT) alone was initially designed for an “average man’s” lung capacity. A woman’s lung capacity is smaller than a man’s, and because of this when a woman blows into the breathalyzer, it can cause it to read at a much higher level.
  
  Simply put, the breath machines do not differentiate breath samples between males and females which could make the test inaccurate in determining the actual blood alcohol level of a woman.
   
• Age – As you age, the effects of alcohol become pronounced increasingly
   
• Type of drink – The more alcohol a drink contains, the more that will end up in your blood stream
   
• Food – Food slows the absorption of alcohol in your bloodstream. If you drink on an empty stomach, your BAC will be higher than the person that ate before drinking.
   
• Metabolism – “Metabolic tolerance” varies from person to person. A person’s metabolism describes the rate at which the alcohol is processed by the body.
   
• Medication – Depending on the medications you are taking, the can intensify the effects of alcohol as well endanger your health.
   
• Stress – Your emotional state can cause your body to divert blood from your stomach and small intestines to your muscles which slows down the absorption of alcohol in your blood stream. Once you calm down, your blood will flow normally, and you may experience a surge in your BAC.

There are several other factors that can contribute to your BAC. The bottom line is if you are planning a night out drinking make plans ahead of time to get you home safely to ensure that you won’t be blowing into a breathalyzer at the end of the night.

What if I refuse the PBT?

Contrary to popular belief, you have the right to refuse the field sobriety test as it is only used by the police to obtain a probable cause to arrest you and it is not admissible in court.

Although most believe that your license will be suspended if you refuse the PBT in Scottsdale, AZ. That just isn't true.

I encourage you to refuse the test and ask to speak to a lawyer.

Experienced DUI Attorney

If unfortunately you have been charged with a DUI you should immediately seek an experienced DUI attorney.

I personally represent my clients with the goal of keeping them out of jail and dismissal of their case. I do not care if my client committed a crime and it’s not even a question I ask.
As a DUI Defense attorney, my job is to make sure that my client's rights are protected while in the court system.

Representing clients in Phoenix and surrounding areas that include Apache Junction, Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, and Tempe, Arizona, I will "Deliver Justice and Defend Your Freedom.”

When your freedom is at risk, contact DUI Defense Attorney Aaron Black or call 480-729-1683 to set up a free consultation.