In Maryland, as well as in other states, DUI means driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It has also been called DWI (Driving while Intoxicated) and OUI (Operating Under the Influence).
Operating a vehicle with a .08% blood alcohol level or higher and if you test at this level or above it is used as evidence of Driving Under the Influence and that is illegal in all states. However, it is also possible to receive a DUI conviction or a similar charge even if your BAC is lower.
Blood Alcohol concentration, or Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is the amount of alcohol that shows up in your blood. Expressed as a percentage, it measures the weight of the alcohol in a certain amount of your blood. Naturally the higher the alcohol level in your blood the more impaired you will become.
Testing saliva, breath, urine or blood are all ways to measure the amount of alcohol in your body. When you are stopped on suspicion of a DUI it is normal for them to give you the test right then. It is true that testing the blood is a sure way to measure the BAC, but the most common test and the one most used, as evidence is the Breathalyzer.
Many people use the terms Breathalyzer and BAC interchangeably, but there is a difference. A Breathalyzer does not read the actual alcohol content but it tries to estimate the level by testing the breath from your lungs to measure the amount of alcohol. What this means is that the Breathalyzer tests are far from 100% certain and may often be challenged. Although some states use urine or breath tests, the blood test gives the most accurate BAC level. There are some substances that will throw the results off when using a Breathalyzer machine. For instance, sometimes Acetone throws off the results of a Breathalyzer test, as it may show up in large amounts in someone on a special diet or if they have diabetes. There have been times that fumes coming from adhesives or paints have also confused them.
A blood test is the accurate way to determine the Blood Alcohol Content. But, there a few general rules that may help you estimate your level based on how much you drank and how much you weigh. In order to reach the .08% a 170 lb. man on an empty stomach would have to drink more than four drinks in one hour. And a woman weighing 135 lb. would need approximately three drinks in an hour to reach that same .08%.
Keep in mind that if you get pulled over for suspicion of DUI by a law enforcement official it is normal for them to give you a Breathalyzer test. If you refuse, in most states that results in an automatic suspension of your license. It may even bring additional criminal or civil sanctions and is normally used as evidence against you.
