The “Know Your Limit” program is intended to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving, and how little it takes to reach the legal limit to drive a vehicle. It is illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% or higher.
A person’s height, weight, food intake, drug and/or medication use and how much they drink over a time period are all factors that affect their BAC. According to the
California Driver Handbook, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a woman between 120-160 pounds and three drinks by a man between 180-220 pounds to be over the legal limit. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The BAC lowers at a rate of .01% for every 40 minutes between drinks.
The average cost of a first-time DUI offense is approximately $13,500, accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes and other penalties. Plan ahead and avoid the risk of a DUI by designating a sober driver.
Instead of getting behind the wheel while drunk or high, options include:
- Use a ride share service
- Call for a taxi
- Take public transportation
- Designate a driver, or call a sober friend for a ride
- If you are home, order food delivery instead of getting behind the wheel to get food
- If having a party, make arrangements for your impaired guests to stay over instead of driving home
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.
