Mailbox down – BAC up

As WICZ.com reported recently, Timothy J. Shafer (45, from Kirkwood, New York) allegedly was drunk when he drove his vehicle into a mailbox on the Fourth of July. Sherriff’s deputies from Broome County responded to the scene that took place on Maine Street in Kirkwood. Mr. Shafer allegedly left the accident scene by foot. Law enforcement officials located him at his residence. He apparently was unconscious when officers found him.

Mr. Shafer’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was measured and it is claimed to have registered at 0.23 percent. The legal limit in New York State is 0.08 percent. He was charged with: DWI, aggravated DWI, an unsafe lane change and leaving the scene of an accident. Mr. Shafer was released and is scheduled to appear in court at a future date.

How can I lower my BAC level?
New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles points out that there is no fast way to sober up. Waiting for the body to process the alcohol appears to be the best way to do this. In general, the body absorbs alcohol at a rate of about one drink per hour.

Once alcohol is consumed, it enters the bloodstream – once it is in the bloodstream – it stays there until ‘worn off’ by time. BAC measures how much alcohol is in one’s bloodstream. A higher BAC reading will require more time to return to a low or zero BAC level.

An article posted on DrinkingAndDriving.Org explains the “factory”, also known as the human body, and what happens along the way in the gastrointestinal system when alcohol is consumed.

1. Stomach – alcohol is absorbed here through a process called diffusion. Food stays in the stomach to digest. When food is present in the stomach, the rise of BAC levels typically slow down.
2. Intestine – if there is no food in the stomach, the alcohol reaches the intestine sooner. The intestines diffuse alcohol into the bloodstream quicker than the stomach – so drinking on an empty stomach raises the BAC faster.
3. Liver – its job is to get rid of alcohol. The liver produces an enzyme that metabolizes the alcohol. Most of the alcohol that is consumed exits the body this way. On average, one drink takes about an hour to leave a person’s body.

In sum, it seems that the best way to bring down the BAC is to wait it out and have the body process the alcohol.

If you or someone you know was charged with a DWI in Binghamton – or anywhere in the State of New York – it is extremely important to receive advice from an experienced and knowledgeable attorney. At Nave DWI Defense Attorneys we focus on DWI matters and only DWI matters – our legal team carries years of experience and we are committed to obtaining favorable results on behalf of our clients.

The exclusive purpose of this article is educational and it is not intended as either legal advice or a general solution to any specific legal problem. Corporate offices for Nave DWI Defense Attorneys are located at 432 N. Franklin Street, Suite 80, Syracuse, NY 13204; Telephone No.: 1-866-792-7800. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney Advertising.