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Temecula City, Calif. – The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department/Temecula Sheriff’s Station conducted an educational program at one of Temecula’s local businesses to educate the public on how important it is to “know your limit”. 

The “Know Your Limit” program is intended to inform the public on how little it takes to reach the legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC), which is .08% in all states but Utah, where the BCA is .05%.

The campaign ran from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Coin Op Game Room in the city of Temecula. During which time deputies interacted with the patrons and invited volunteers to take a breathalyzer test to see if they could accurately guess their BAC. Those who participated were asked how many drinks they had and whether they believed they were safe to drive. Following the test, deputies educated those out drinking on the impacts of alcohol one one’s ability to drive, and the consequences of a DUI.

While conducting the program, 69 patrons volunteered to take a breathalyzer test. The majority of the patrons who participated, guessed their BAC to be a lower percentage then what their actual BAC results were. 

“The goal was to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home after a night of drinking,” Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Temecula Sheriff’s Station, Sergeant Raemie Wood said. “It only takes a few drinks to impair, and that’s why it is so critical that people know when not to drive.” 

A person’s height, weight, food intake, drug and/or medication use and how much they drink over a time period are all factors that affect BAC. According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a 120-pound woman and four drinks by a 180-pound man to be at the legal limit. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The body lowers your BAC at a rate of .015% every hour.

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not! The average cost of a DUI arrest is approximately $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.  Plan ahead and avoid risking a DUI by designating a sober driver.