Many people enjoy drinking alcohol, feel they need to drive, and also want to avoid DWI charges. For instance, someone may go out for drinks with friends after a long week at work. But if they drove their car to the bar or restaurant, they may not want to leave it there overnight and come back for it the next day. Even after consuming a few drinks, they may feel it’s necessary to drive home.
Because they want to avoid legal charges, they might look for ways to lower their blood alcohol concentration (BAC). They understand that the legal limit is 0.08%, so they may wonder if doing something like drinking a cup of coffee before driving will help them avoid DWI charges.
Only time reduces your BAC
No, drinking coffee won’t lower your BAC—apart from the time it takes to purchase and drink the coffee. For most people, BAC decreases at a rate of about 0.015% per hour. If a driver’s BAC is 0.09%, it would take roughly six hours to return to zero. Coffee doesn’t speed up that process. While a person’s BAC might drop slightly if they spend an hour walking to a coffee shop and drinking their coffee, it’s not because the coffee itself is “sobering” them up.
Why do people think coffee works?
The most likely explanation is that alcohol often makes people feel tired and sluggish, while coffee helps them feel more alert and awake. Even though they feel different after drinking coffee, their BAC remains unchanged, and they are just as intoxicated as they were before. They might falsely believe the coffee has “sobered them up,” but they would still fail a breath test if stopped by law enforcement.
Misconceptions like this can lead to serious DWI charges. Those facing these charges must understand their legal defense options and the steps to take after an arrest.
