How do I know if I have drank enough to reach the legal limit for driving while intoxicated in McAllen Texas?
When people choose to drink it is important to be aware of the fact that at some point it becomes illegal to drive. However, for the average person it is almost impossible to know exactly when that limit is reached. Texas, like every other state, has relevant laws that say people who reach the point of legal intoxication cannot drive, otherwise they risk being arrested for the crime of driving while intoxicated.
Trying to use common sense
One of the main problems with remaining compliant with laws around the country for drunk driving is that it can be very difficult to tell when someone is legally drunk versus someone who has had a couple of drinks and still may be well under the limit. A person’s blood alcohol concentration is affected by their weight, tolerance to alcohol, the amount of food they have eaten recently, and many other factors that are not easy to determine. Police can even get different readings from the same person depending on whether they request a chemical test by breath, blood, or urine, as the blood tends to retain higher concentrations of alcohol than someone’s breath or urine. The legal limit in Texas and most states is .08, which is generally considered the amount of alcohol in someone’s bloodstream that causes them to have coordination problems or other related issues that affect driving. Despite these general policies integrated into law, alcohol affects everyone differently.
If someone appears visibly drunk and is starting to have motor coordination issues such as stumbling or slurring their words while talking, these are the same indicators used by law enforcement to evaluate someone’s level of intoxication. People who are exhibiting these kinds of behaviors definitely should not be driving. However, it is definitely possible for people to consume lesser amounts of alcohol and appear to be relatively sober, yet their blood alcohol levels would show that they are legally drunk.
Standards for measures for alcohol consumption
The federal government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have provided an alcohol fact sheet that discusses alcohol’s affects on the body and gives some related information about intoxication and health problems. The general rule is that a person’s body can metabolize about one standard serving of alcohol such as a glass of wine, bottle of beer, or shot of hard liquor in one hour. If someone has had several servings within a period of a couple of hours or shorter, it is usually a safe bet that they would be legally intoxicated. Unfortunately, even a basic knowledge of how much someone has drank and how much their body has metabolized is not going to give an exact blood alcohol reading as done by law enforcement. Because of this uncertainty, it is always best to play it safe and avoid driving by making other transportation arrangements if there is any question as to a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Talk to an expert DWI lawyer today
If you have been charged with DWI in McAllen Texas or surrounding areas, there is professional help available. The Tijerina Law Firm, P.C. is experienced in helping defend people just like you against drunk driving charges from the state. Because of the complexity of dealing with blood alcohol issues and other indicators that law enforcement uses to show impairment, it is important to get the best legal help possible from someone with a strong background in DWI cases.
