Advice if You Plan to Drink at Atlanta Bars or Sporting Events

One of the first questions I ask a new client is how much did they have to drink, and what were they drinking.  I have learned over the last 18 years that many people unintentionally consume too many alcoholic beverages.

I am not saying people do not take responsibility for their actions.  However, I am saying some people do not understand what actually constitutes "a drink," and as a result they often over-consume.

Now let's review.  A “drink" is one 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of table wine, or 1 shot of liquor.  This is where the problem starts for most people; most bars and restaurants serve drinks that are larger in size than what constitutes "a drink."

An example is how bars serve pints of beer.  A pint is 16 ounces.  If you have 3 pints of beer, that's 48 ounces of beer.  So, 3 pints equals 4 beers.  Also, many bars and restaurants serve mixed drinks that include multiple shots of alcohol and glasses of wine can be more than 5 ounces each.  Even shots of liquor can be an ounce and a half or more!

Another example of under-estimation of drinking happens at professional sporting events.  Many cups of beer are actually 20 to 24 ounces.  When I ask clients how many drinks they had at an Atlanta Falcons game, they can truthfully tell me the number of drinks while really not understanding the actual amount of alcoholic beverage they consumed.

The end result is people think they have consumed far less than reality.  Even a person who truthfully said they had 2 beers at an Atlanta Hawks game may have had as much as 4 beers, and a person who had 2 Long Island Iced Teas at a bar may have had the equivalent of 8 shots of liquor.

My advice is simple: NEVER drive if you have consumed alcohol.  However, if you have consumed alcoholic beverages, pay attention to the actual number of 12-ounce beers, 5-ounce glasses of wine, or 1 1/2 -ounce shots of liquor you have consumed. The only way to avoid over-consumption is to understand how much you are actually consuming.

If you are charged with DUI, our Atlanta DUI Lawyers are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We are always happy to help.  The best choice is to avoid needing our help and be safe during this holiday season.