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Blood alcohol content
An individual’s blood-alcohol content
(BAC) is influenced by several factors; their body weight,
their food intake, the percentage of alcohol in the drinks
they’ve consumed, the number of drinks they’ve
had and the time elapsed since their last drink.
Calculating alcohol units
In the UK, a unit is defined as the equivalent to 8 grammes
or 10ml (1cl) of pure alcohol (different definitions apply
in other countries). The exact number of units in a particular
drink can be calculated by multiplying the volume of the drink
(in ml) by the alcoholic strength by volume (ABV) and dividing
the answer by 1000. For example, the number of units in a
440ml can of beer with an ABV of 5% vol. is:
440 x 5 = 2.2 units
1000
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general public confused about drink driving
An RAC survey reports that many motorists
take to the roads in the mistaken belief that they are under
the legal limit. . 80% of drivers are unclear about the alcoholic
content of their drink or do not grasp “how much
is too much”.
The general public in Britain are confused
about drink driving: the law restricts us to 80mg of alcohol
per 100ml of blood, but yet we are unaware of our personal
limits: what does 80mg/100ml mean to YOU? This approach to
drink driving should allow a preventative check before a driver
attempts to drive. We are not opposed to a “zero tolerance”
to drink driving and, back all efforts to prevent and educate
the British public in all problems associated with Alcohol
.We believe the only way to make the roads and pubs safer
is “Intervention at the point of consumption”
For many of us alcohol is a part of our everyday
life. We must be given a means to test ourselves, or those
around us, before getting behind the wheel. We must be able
to make an informed decision about our own sobriety - no more
guess work!
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