Bar-Goers Guess Their Blood Alcohol Limit In Newport Beach

NEWPORT BEACH, CA —Newport Beach police headed to the bar scene Friday, helping revelers know if they've had too much to drink. We all know Uber and Lyft and other rideshare options are best if you have a drink while out, but too often folks push the limit.

On Friday, from 6 to 10 p.m., Newport Beach police want you to understand that buzzed driving is drunk driving by showing you your breathalyzer results.

In most states, the legal limit for blood alcohol content is .08-percent. In Utah, it's less, at .05-percent.
If you participate, you'll be asked first how many drinks you've had, and second, if you think you're still good to drive home, and if you can guess what your BAC is. Finally, officers will educate those out drinking on the impacts of alcohol on one's ability to drive, and the consequences of a DUI.

A person's height, weight, food intake, drugs or medication use and how much they drink over a while are all factors that affect BAC. According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a 120-pound woman and four drinks by a 180-pound man to be at the legal limit. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40-percent alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5-percent alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12-percent alcohol). The body lowers your BAC at a rate of .015% every hour.

"The goal is to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home after a night of drinking," Newport Beach Police Department, Sergeant Little said. "It only takes a few drinks to impair, and that's why it is so critical that people know when not to drive."

The average cost of a DUI arrest is approximately $13,500, accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes, and other penalties. Plan and avoid risking a DUI by designating a sober driver.

Funding for the "Know Your Limit" program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.