BAC and other TABC certification issues prove important in trial

Blood Alcohol Content, or BAC, is one of the most prominent issues we teach in our on-site and online TABC certification classes, and it proved to be a central issue in a drunk driving trial that recently concluded in Austin.

After about a week of trial, Terri Elmore was convicted in early February of intoxication manslaughter after driving drunk and plowing her vehicle into that of Jackson and Barbara Boyett, killing them both. What made this case unique was the focus on BAC – Specifically the methodology used to calculate BAC and the beverage labeling process here in Texas. Elmore’s BAC was roughly twice the legal limit at the time of the crash.

The TABC defines BAC as “a measurement of the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream expressed as a percentage.” For example, if someone has a BAC of 0.10 percent this means that the person has one part chemical alcohol with 1000 parts blood fluids. While a BAC of 0.08 is considered to be a level of intoxication under Texas law, you can still be considered legally intoxicated if you don’t have normal use of your mental or physical faculties due to the introduction of alcohol or some other substance, even if your BAC is less than 0.08.

As a seller-server, there are other factors you need to consider though. Things like gender, body weight and type, muscle/fat ratio, type and timing of food, and fatigue are all factors that affect BAC and intoxication.

TABC On The Fly is a state-approved provider of on-site and online TABC certification classes.

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