NCJ Number
86499
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1982) Pages: 289-296
Date Published
1982
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Study results suggest the low probability that a person given a blood alcohol test following a violation will have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) higher than at the time of the violation.
Abstract
To determine the maximum rise in BAC and the time to reach that level following the last drink, 39 volunteers consumed alcoholic beverages under eight different drinking conditions, which involved varying the consumption time, volume consumed, and food content of the stomach. The results indicated that among the eight drinking conditions, there was not a statistically significant difference in BAC change or time to reach the BAC plateau. The most significant result was that the rise in BAC following the last drink was .02 g/100 ml or less for 81.3 percent of the volunteers and that 81.3 percent of the volunteers also achieved their maximum BAC within 30 minutes or less. The maximum individual rise in BAC was .04 g/100 ml, while the maximum individual time to reach the BAC plateau was 80 minutes. The results suggest that regardless of variations in consumption time, the BAC plateau is reached rapidly following the last drink and does not rise significantly, as suggested by the statistical t-test for paired data. These results indicate that the evidence of a BAC test after a drinking violation will not be significantly higher than the BAC at the time of the violation. Tabular and graphic data and 24 references are provided. (Author summary modified)