Statistics show female drivers receiving a higher percentage of DUIs

April 02, 2014 (Press-News.org) Going out for drinks is a favorite pastime of many residents of Columbia, South Carolina because drinking is a highly social activity. Both men and women use it as a way to connect with others and even to relax after a long day at work. However, because drinking is oftentimes associated with fun, it can be difficult to keep track of how many drinks have been consumed and then try to drive home with a blood alcohol content level above the legal limit.

Contributing factors to female DUIs

While both men and women are subject to getting pulled over after a night out with friends, recent reports show that a higher percentage of women are getting DUIs than ever before. According to the Chicago Tribune, the number of DUI arrests for male drivers has declined since 1995 but the opposite has happened for female drivers. FBI statistics for the year 2011 show that DUI arrests for women account for nearly 25 percent of all arrests compared with just 10 percent in 1980.

This increase in female DUI arrests can be traced back to societal changes. Today, women are expected to juggle multiple demands from their career, role as a mother, community volunteer and home manager.

What affects a person's BAC level?

In the United States, if a person has a BAC level above 0.08, they are subject to arrest for a DUI. However, how many drinks a person consumes and how fast they reach this legal limit is based on a variety of factors such as:
- The number of drinks a person consumes.
- How fast a person drinks. If a person drinks quickly, their BAC level will rise faster.
- A person's weight.
- The amount of food in a person's stomach. Absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream is slowed if the person has had something to eat.

When it comes to BAC levels, gender is another contributing factor, particularly for women. This is because women generally have more body fat per pound of body weight than men. Since alcohol does not go as easily into fat cells as others, alcohol will usually remain in the blood of women longer.

Recently, according to Business Insider, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that states lower their legal BAC limit from 0.08 to 0.05. Since BAC level is based on factors such as gender and weight, this could have serious implications for women. Business Insider states that if this new recommendation became law, a 100 pound woman could barely have one drink per hour before becoming legally intoxicated.

While the legal limit remains at 0.08, it's still very easy to have one too many drinks without knowing and get behind the wheel. If you were charged with a DUI after a night out, consult with an attorney in your area to find out what you can do to minimize the legal and financial consequences of this allegation.

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