The following information is provided to help explain the law in Florida and provided information for the public to make informed decisions about drinking and driving. Breath alcohol level is a measure of the amount of alcohol vapor a person has in their breath. Blood and breath alcohol levels have become a standard indicator of intoxication. It is difficult to prove that a person s driving ability is impaired without the definition by law of a blood or breath alcohol level. Therefore, the interpretation of evidence in cases of driving under the influence of alcohol is supported by the legal definition of a 0.08 or more blood or breath alcohol level.
Blood alcohol is measured in terms of weight of alcohol compared to volume of blood.
A 0.08 blood alcohol level indicates 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. A 0.08 breath alcohol level indicates 0.08 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, extensive research shows that alcohol impairs driving-related tasks such as divided attention, comprehension, reaction time, and coordination. Some performance degradation is observed at any measurable alcohol level. The 0.08 level only establishes a legal presumption of impairment.