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Understanding the Role of Blood Alcohol Content in California DUI Cases

California DUI cases can be very complex. When the police are trying to arrest and prosecute you for driving under the influence (DUI) on Los Angeles area roads, they may use confusing terminology or concepts that you have a difficult time grasping.

One of these terms is blood alcohol content (BAC), also sometimes known as blood alcohol level. Your BAC is the level of alcohol present in your blood at the time of the test, which goes a long way to determine if you are legal or not.

BAC is tested by the police in a number of ways. They may administer a breathalyzer test, urine test, or blood test to determine if you are under the influence of alcohol. You can read more about the types of blood alcohol tests used in California in one of our earlier articles.

The legal limit in all 50 states is .08. If you have a .08 or higher BAC reading, then you will be arrested. California DUI charges can be very serious, especially if you have a prior conviction. It is important that you act quickly to hire a Torrance DUI defense attorney if this happens.

Numerous factors help determine your BAC. These include, but are not limited to:

• Amount of alcohol consumed
• Type of alcohol
• Time elapsed
• Weight & height
• Water or food consumed

Although you can try to estimate your BAC by using an online calculator, understand that these are not always exact. Just because your iPhone told you that it was okay to drive does not mean that the argument will hold up in court.

If you get pulled over and arrested for DUI, you still have some legal options. You may be able to fight the charges if police officers made mistakes during the stop, or you may be able to argue for a lesser punishment if you have some extenuating circumstances.

For more information, call the Torrance DUI defense lawyers of McGregor & Ernenwein today at (877) 338-4489, and request a free consultation about your case.