How many drinks does it take to get drunk?

No one ever sets out for a fun evening with friends with the intention of driving drunk. However, one too many drinks can cause inebriation behind the wheel, which may result in significant legal penalties. You are also at risk of a serious accident when driving drunk, which can result in even more issues.

Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a major indicator of your level of inebriation. This guide explains how much it typically takes to get drunk, so you can make smarter decisions when going out.

Three drinks

While a .05% BAC is below the legal limit, it can still affect your driving negatively. At this point, drivers may experience a lack of muscle control, diminished response time, problems with coordination, and decreased judgement. Although you are still within the limits of the law, driving in this condition is hazardous.

Four drinks

By four drinks, your BAC will have risen to .08%. As the legal limit, any drivers caught with an .08% BAC or higher will face significant consequences. Additionally, your ability to operate the vehicle safely will decrease further by this level. Loss of short-term memory, issues with perception, and decreased muscle coordination can also occur.

Five drinks

Consuming five drinks will increase your BAC to .10%. The above effects will become even more pronounced, and you may also experience difficulty using the vehicle controls correctly. Reaction time is also inhibited, which means you may not be able to respond to a sudden road hazard in a reasonable manner.

Keep in mind that alcohol potency dictates serving size. For example, liquor is quite potent, so it comes in a 1.5 ounces glass. Consuming potent alcohol beyond the standard service size can actually elevate your BAC much faster.