Battle DUI Law Blog

Can I Rely on a BAC Calculator to Avoid a Virginia DUI?

It is a scientific fact that a person's body weight will affect their blood alcohol content (BAC). This is because those who weigh more hold more water in their bodies, and body water dilutes the alcohol in the blood. Therefore, those who weigh less have a higher concentration of alcohol in their blood, and are more susceptible to a higher BAC reading.

In light of this information, there are various Internet sites and even mobile phone apps that offer a way to "calculate" your BAC. By using a BAC calculator, these sites claim to estimate the amount of alcohol in your blood. To do so, they will ask for information such as: 

• How many drinks you have had
• What you were drinking (i.e. the alcoholic content of the beverages)
• How much you weigh
• How many hours you have been drinking 

By submitting this information to a BAC calculator, you will receive an estimate of your BAC level. But these calculators are not a reliable means of gauging your sobriety as they are only giving a vague estimate based on imperfect data. No matter what a BAC calculator says, if an officer pulls you over, and you submit to a BAC test which gives a reading of .08 or above, then you will be charged with a DUI.

If you have been arrested and charged with a Virginia DUI, then you may want to know how your body weight may have affected your BAC reading. To learn more, read our article: Your Body Weight and Your BAC 

Virginia DUI defense attorney Bob Battle has the experience and ability to help his clients use these errors to mount a successful DUI defense. To learn more about Virginia DUI, get a free copy of Bob Battle's consumer guide, How to Choose a DUI Lawyer in Virginia. Or, contact 804-673-5600 to schedule your legal consultation today.