Those who are worried about being arrested for driving under the influence will sometimes consider what they drink. For example, you may have met people who claim they will never drink liquor because it just gets them “too drunk.” Instead, they will drink beer.
But does this logic actually hold true? After all, both drinks contain alcohol. How could one drink get you drunker than another? Or is this just a common myth?
It is a myth, but there is a reason
First and foremost, this is a myth because all types of alcohol will impact your intoxication levels in the same way. They raise your blood alcohol concentration. That’s what leads to impairment. It doesn’t matter what type of alcohol you drink.
However, from a concentration standpoint, alcohol is very different. A shot of liquor could be 40% alcohol, whereas a 12-ounce can of beer may only be 5% alcohol.
So one reason that people often equate liquor with getting too intoxicated is that they will drink it much more quickly – taking a shot in a second, rather than drinking a beer for an hour. Another reason is that they may drink more of it. Someone may never think about having three beers in an hour, for instance, but they might take a shot and then sit while nursing a mixed drink that has two more shots. They’re consuming more alcohol than they realize, which can increase the odds of being arrested on drunk driving charges.
What legal steps should you take?
A drunk driving conviction can have a major detrimental impact on your life. Be sure you know about all of your legal defense options on the legal tactics that are available.