How do different BAC levels affect your behavior?

In Pennsylvania, blowing .08 on a breath analysis test is considered to be above the legal limit, and you will face arrest. But did you know that your blood alcohol content level (BAC) doesn’t necessarily need to be that high before you start having severe cognitive problems while driving?

Alcohol impacts every person differently. Many factors are involved, like your weight, height, physical state, and whether or not you’re on any medications. Ball State University lists the different effects that alcohol can have on you and how you might behave at a number of different BAC levels.

The lower numbers like .02 to .03 unsurprisingly have the least noticeable effects. However, behavioral changes may still occur even here. You’re less likely to feel shy and more likely to experience a sense of euphoria. Levels ranging from .04 to .06 show an even bigger impact. In this range, you can suffer from impairment of judgment and reasoning, issues with memory, lowered cautions and inhibitions, and a feeling of relaxation.

Having a BAC level of .07 to .09 will usually result in trouble with reaction time, balance, speech, hearing and vision. This goes along with an increase in severity to the issues that you may have already been experiencing. Because of this, a BAC of .08 is considered to be the point at which it becomes too unsafe to drive.

It’s important to note that because bodies are all different, what “feels” like a .08 BAC for you may or may not actually register that way on a breathalyzer test. If you have blown a .08 or higher on a breath test before, you may want to contact an attorney to figure out your options.