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Different factors affect your ability to metabolize alcohol

On Behalf of | Sep 24, 2018 | DWI

If you get pulled over for suspicion of driving intoxicated in New York, you will be asked to perform a serious of tests. If you fail them and are convicted of a DWI, you can face serious and long-term consequences. Many drivers wonder how many drinks it takes before they have had too much to drive. Unfortunately there is not one correct answer because a variety of factors affect how your body processes the alcohol. Because of this, it is always the smartest decision not to drive if you have had even a couple of drinks.

According to Stanford University, both biology and physiology are involved with how intoxicated you will get. Factors involved include:

  • Weight
  • Gender
  • Food intake
  • Medication use
  • Rate of consumption
  • Health conditions

The general consensus, although it varies greatly, is a BAC of .08 is typically reached after women have had one to two drinks and men have had three to four. Because this level is hard to predict, it is important to understand the consequences of a DWI so someone does not take the chance.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles discusses the penalties for various alcohol-related violations. All of them include fines, license suspension and potential jail time, but these can vary greatly depending on the specific violation. For a DWI, the fine ranges from $500 to $1,000, the license suspension is for a minimum of six months and there could be a maximum jail time of one year. Driving with a higher BAC, refusing the chemical test, driving under the influence of drugs and subsequent violations have more serious penalties.