It’s not a .44 Magnum in front of you; it’s your first shot of tequila or your fifth mug of beer. Alcohol is a funny thing, how it affects everyone differently. Some people can drink half a dozen shots with a six-pack chaser and suffer no ill effects - no slowing of reflexes or slurring of voices or inability to function normally. Other people only need to imbibe a single glass of wine to go from sober to smashed in a matter of minutes. Interestingly, very few people will admit to having one too many. They will insist that they are perfectly “fine.” And that may or may not be the case, but if this “fine” person isn’t, and he or she gets behind the wheel of a car… well, we all know exactly what can happen.

If that person is extremely lucky, they will get home safely, though likely wonder the next morning how in heaven’s name they managed to. Luck aside, everyone knows better than to drink and drive drunk. But, the problem is identifying the threshold beyond which one should not cross. In most states, the point at which you’re considered legally intoxicated is when you register a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 percent. For many people, a BAC of even .02% is enough to throw them out of whack, and a .05% BAC significantly increases the risk of a crash.

What’s your BAC after a glass or two of wine or a couple of beers? You can’t just judge it based on how you feel - face it, you’re biased at that point. A police officer could help you figure that out, but you might not be too happy with the outcome (especially if you’ve just been pulled over). Fortunately, you can buy a personal alcohol detector and check your BAC (or anyone else’s for that matter) in the privacy of your own home, long before you buckle yourself into your car. Don’t bet on luck when your life is on the line. Bet on the sure thing. The numbers don’t lie.