Seattle DUI Attorney

About Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

When a person is first pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence, they will be asked to complete a breath test or blood test. These tests will either be conducted at the police stop or immediately after the person has been taken back to the police station. If a test is conducted more than two hours after the arrest has taken place, it will most likely yield inaccurate results.

In the state of Washington, it is against the law to drive with a blood alcohol content at or above .08%, or to be impaired by alcohol or drugs while behind the wheel of a vehicle or boat. Blood alcohol content is defined as the percentage of alcohol in a person's blood stream. For example, a blood alcohol content, or BAC, of .10% means that one tenth of a percent of a person's blood is composed of alcohol. This was first determined for medical purposes, but it is also used in cases of the law. The reason that .08% was chosen to be the "legal limit" for individuals over the age of 21 in Washington is because this is around the time that many people begin to experience impairment of their judgment and other reasoning skills. For individuals under the age of 21, the legal limit is at .02%, but it is illegal for any underage individual to consume or purchase alcohol.

DUI Lawyer Defending Drunk Driving Cases in Seattle

If you or someone you love has been arrested and charged with DUI, please call a Seattle DUI defense lawyer from Baker, Lewis, Schwisow & Laws, PLLC at your soonest convenience. Devices that are often used to measure blood alcohol content are not always accurate, and one small mistake can result in serious consequences for an innocent defendant. In some cases, where a breathalyzer has not been properly calibrated, it may produce incorrect results, showing that a person's blood alcohol content is higher than it actually is. If you believe that this has happened to you, do not wait to call our office for a free consultation of your case today.

Contact a Seattle DUI defense lawyer at our office today for more information on blood alcohol content.