Thursday, September 15, 2011

The Use of Blood Alcohol Level Measurement

The measurement of a person's blood alcohol level is used by law enforcement departments all over the world to test if a person is fit to drive or not. Almost all countries have strict laws on drinking and driving. Some countries in fact have a zero tolerance to drinking and driving so any level of alcohol in the blood while driving is illegal. In countries where a limit is applied, blood alcohol content is used to classify how intoxicated a person is and gives an idea of how drunk a person is. The degree of impairment based on alcohol content in the blood varies from person to person, so it can only ever be a rough guide, but is considered good enough to show that someone is intoxicated and unfit to drive.

The alcohol level allowed in the blood when driving varies from country to country. Some, as said, have a zero tolerance, this reflects the fact that the only safe blood alcohol level for driving is zero. Even one drink can have a hugely detrimental effect on your ability to drive. In the United States the legal blood alcohol level is 0.08%. But this doesn't mean you are actually safe to drive if you are below this level. Some people choose not to drink at all if they are planning to drive. Some people make this decision because they are more aware of the impairment than other people. It may be that they are actually more impaired, because everyone reacts differently to alcohol.

The blood alcohol level is derived from the amount of alcohol that has been drunk by a person and the rate at which the particular drinker's body metabolizes the alcohol. Because the body takes the alcohol in at quit a constant rate drinking quickly will raise the blood alcohol concentration at a faster rate. Coordination is one of the first things to go although the person may not be fully aware of the loss it can still be quite significant. A small amount of alcohol in the blood can also make people seem and fell more relaxed quite quickly. These combine to reduce the person's level of caution. This happens quite quickly in the process of intoxication and will have an effect on a person's decision making and reactions.

The above effects of a low blood alcohol level come into play before the 0.08% level is reached. Also before this level a person will experience some balance and vision impairment. They may also have problems with their speech. All these things combine to cause potential problems when driving. Once the 0.08% level is passed these problems become significant in most. Unfortunately it is still a level where many people will not have recognised the effects themselves. This is why the level is set here in the States and other countries. But, as said, the level is arbitrary and it is thought by some that any amount of alcohol in the blood is too much to be able to say that a person is save to drive.

blood alcohol level helps you know about it so that you can learn clearly about blood alcohol level.


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