How can you tell whether your faculties are impaired and you're above the legal limit? These charts can help you assess your own limits and determine the approximate amount of alcohol in your blood. Remember: the figures are approximate. If you're tired, angry or on medication, even a small amount of alcohol may render you unfit to drive, no matter what the chart says.

Basically, you must subtract 15 mg per hour, from the time of your first drink. That's the rate at which your body eliminates alcohol. Nothing can speed up the process: you can jog, dance, drink gallons of black coffee, and it won't change a thing. Your liver can only do its job; it can't perform miracles.  

As the charts show, we are not all equal when it comes to alcohol. As a general rule, women react more quickly than men. It's a matter of size, body weight and fat. Research has also shown that women have less of the stomach enzyme that helps break down alcohol, which results in more of the alcohol being absorbed into their bloodstream.

If you are stopped by the police, a screening device may be used to determine your blood-alcohol level, or you may be asked to take a breathalyzer test. If your blood-alcohol level is over the legal limit, your driver's licence will be suspended on the spot for 15 days (if this a first offence) or 30 days (for a repeat offence). The very first time you are convicted of drunk driving, you'll receive a hefty fine and automatically lose your licence for one year.

Blood-alcohol level according to number of drinks Men Number of drinks 125 lb. 57 kg 150 lb. 68 kg 175 lb. 80 kg 200 lb. 91 kg 250 lb. 113 kg 1 34 mg 29 mg 25 mg 22 mg 17 mg 2 69 mg 58 mg 50 mg 43 mg 35 mg 3 103 mg 87 mg 75 mg 65 mg 52 mg 4 139 mg 116 mg 100 mg 87 mg 70 mg 5 173 mg 145 mg 125 mg 108 mg 87 mg Women Number of drinks 100 lb. 45 kg 125 lb. 57 kg 150 lb. 68 kg 175 lb. 80 kg 200 lb. 91 kg 1 50 mg 40 mg 34 mg 29 mg 26 mg 2 101 mg 80 mg 68 mg 58 mg 50 mg 3 152 mg 120 mg 101 mg 87 mg 76 mg 4 203 mg 162 mg 135 mg 117 mg 101 mg 5 253 mg 202 mg 169 mg 146 mg 126 mg

People with a learner's permit or probationary permit who are stopped and found to have even the smallest trace of alcohol in their blood (under .08) will be fined and have their permit suspended for three months (in addition to the initial 15 or 30-day suspension). If they're found guilty of driving while impaired (over the .08 limit), they will be treated like any other driver and lose their licence for a year.

Just about everyone is familiar with the progressive effects of alcohol. Alcohol is not a stimulant but a depressant. It slows brain activity and reduces tension. It changes our perceptions about ourselves and others.

It makes us bolder, and impairs judgement. Peripheral vision, hearing and capacity to estimate distances are affected. As for reflexes, don't count on them after you've reached the legal limit.

In the last ten years, Éduc'alcool has spearheaded a number of major offensives against drunk driving:

Flash

Roadblocks: a rare opportunity to go fishing on the job Police officers may not arrest you unless they have reason to believe you have broken the law. However, in the interests of public security, they may deliberately cast their nets - with roadblocks. Spot checks for drunk drivers are becoming more common.  20 heads are better than one Newspapers, radio stations, television networks, billboards and even organized sports are helping to promote the Éduc'alcool message by contributing advertising time and space. RDS viewers have been getting a kick out of clever little spots featuring some of the hosts of their favourite shows. The campaign (in French only) was broadcast for free, as are many Éduc'alcool messages across Quebec.