It’s always best to play it safe and not drive if you’ve been drinking since it is both illegal and unsafe to drive after consuming too much alcohol, in any form including medication such as cough syrup, or other drugs. Your ability to drive can be impaired even when you’ve only had a drink or two and feel like it may be safe. Follow these basic guidelines to get an understanding if you are sober enough to drive legally.
Blood Alcohol Limits
According to the California DMV website it is illegal for any person to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of:
- .08% or higher if the person is 21 years or older
- .01% or higher if the person is under 21 years old
- .01% or higher at any age if the person is on a DUI probation
- .04% or higher in any vehicle requiring a commercial driver’s license, with or without a commercial drivers license issued to the driver
- .04 or higher when a passenger for hire in the vehicle at the time of the offense (example: Uber or Lyft drivers)
Who Can Take Action Against You?
Both the DMV and the court may take separate action against you for the same offense and convictions can be placed on your driving record if you meet any of the blood alcohol levels above.
The DMV can take action against your driving privileges by suspending or revoking your license, and the courts may take other actions including issuing jail time, a fine, and/or a requirement that you complete a DUI program. Convictions can also be placed upon your driving record and used when determining the length of a revoked or suspended drivers license and other DUI sentencing.
How to Judge if It’s Safe to Drive
If you are not sure what your blood alcohol level is and you think it may be safe to drive, follow these steps to double check. You could also ask a friend to help you go through these assessments. Because your judgment can be impaired with even one or two drinks, it’s best to have a third-party help you evaluate your ability to drive.
If you have a breathalyzer with you, that will give you a more accurate picture of your blood alcohol level, but these warning signs of excessive drinking can also be handy in a pinch.
Trouble with Balance
If you find yourself feeling dizzy, sliding off your chair, walking crookedly, or bumping into things, you’ve probably been drinking past your tolerance level. Even if you feel fine, ask a friend to evaluate you because your equilibrium will impair your ability to drive, making it hard for you to balance and focus.
Slurred Speech
While this sign is obvious, you may not be able to detect it yourself, so ask someone else that has been aware. Ask a friend, or bartender, who isn’t drinking to let you know if your words are starting to blend together – because you should not be operating a vehicle if this is the case.
Unusual Rate or Volume of Speech
If you are talking too slowly, too loudly, too softly, or too quickly, you might be too inebriated to drive. Having a designated driver who can take you home in this case is a much better idea for your safety and that of others.
Slow Reaction Time
Even if you don’t notice it right away, you may take longer to respond to things than you normally would if you weren’t drinking. If you are responding to a question or trying to think something through and have a delay, this can turn into a much bigger problem when you are behind the wheel. A fast reaction time is essential to avoid other drivers on the road, bad weather conditions, or unexpected obstacles in the roadway.
Practice Sobriety Test
Another way to test your ability to drive if you’ve only had a drink or two is to do a practice field sobriety test. Have someone watch you walk in a straight line, walk while balancing on a curb, demonstrate coordination by touching your nose with each of your fingers, and say the alphabet. If you fail any one of these tests, you have been drinking too much to operate a vehicle legally and safely.
Anytime Bail Bonds in Roseville, CA
If you do happen to get arrested for a suspected DUI, a quick search for “bail bonds near me” will reveal that Frank Calabretta’s Bail House offers bail bonds in Roseville and bail bonds in Sacramento. While you may see other bail companies when searching “bail bond companies near me,” know that at Bail House we provide 24/7 no hassle bail bonds even on holidays and weekends!
We know mistakes can happen, and providing friendly service and quick bail bonds in Sacramento along with convenient bail bonds in Roseville is our practice of over 40 years. We have streamlined a simple and easy process to obtain a bail bond for yourself (or your loved one) to get out of jail while they wait for the trial of their DUI case.
Simply give Frank Calabretta’s Bail Bonds in Roseville, CA a call at (916) 782-7048 and ask for a quick and easy bail bond from one of our helpful and friendly bail bond agents!
