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No alcohol estimate

Estimate based only on the drinks and timing you entered. It is not a measurement of your actual BAC.

Estimated BAC

0.0 mg/100 ml

Add an alcoholic drink to populate the alcohol estimate.

Do not use this estimate to decide whether you are safe or legally allowed to drive, work, operate equipment, or perform safety-sensitive activities.

Modelled trend if no more drinks are added

Add drinks to see your modelled BAC trend.

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Drink log

No drinks logged yet.

Pro-Tip

Eating a meal before drinking may slow absorption and lower peak BAC. It does not change total elimination time.

What you can do next

Explore Your Full Picture

Recovery EstimateSee how the estimate changes over time.Recovery EstimateHydrationSuggested fluid context based on this session.HydrationHangover RiskEstimated next-day risk from this session.Hangover RiskAlcohol ImpactUnderstand the short-term body load.Alcohol Impact

* Legal limits vary by driver type, vehicle and state. This tool cannot determine legal driving status.

Last updated: April 25, 2026

Can I drive after drinking?

This is a common question after alcohol, but an online calculator should not be treated as proof that driving is safe or legal. Alcometer helps you understand estimated BAC, metabolism timing and legal-limit context for educational purposes.

Safety first

Do not drive after drinking. Even when you feel sober, alcohol can impair reaction time, attention, and judgement, and any estimate on this page is a population-level model — not a fitness-to-drive indicator. If you must know whether you are below a legal limit, use a calibrated, type-approved breathalyser, request a blood test, or simply wait. When in doubt, do not drive.

Educational note

Do not use an online estimate to decide whether to drive. Use this page to understand impairment risk, metabolism timing and how the estimate compares with legal-limit context.

What the answer depends on

Alcohol impairment depends on far more than the number of drinks. Body weight, sex, drinking speed, food before and after alcohol, and time since the last drink all play a major role. The type of drink also matters: a pint, a glass of wine and a couple of shots can produce very different absorption speeds and peak BAC values.

In practice, two seemingly similar evenings can give different results. Rather than looking for a single universal answer, use the calculator as educational context for the variables involved.

How to interpret the result

The calculator shows an approximate BAC curve and how it relates to the 80 mg/100 ml reference threshold in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is legal-limit context only, not an assessment of your situation. If the curve shows you are still in the absorption phase, the estimate may still be rising.

Beyond the BAC figure itself, consider the wider picture: possible dehydration, poorer recovery and increased risk of impairment the following day. This is especially relevant the morning after drinking, when the BAC may be lower but performance can still be worse than normal.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

Does the BAC calculator give a result accurate to the hundredth?

No. It is an estimate based on the parameters you enter and a pharmacokinetic model. Far better than guessing, but not a substitute for a real measurement.

How should I read a result close to 80 mg/100 ml?

Do not use the calculator as proof that driving is safe or legal. A close result means the estimate is especially uncertain and should be treated as educational context only.

Does feeling normal mean alcohol is no longer affecting me?

No. How you feel and your actual BAC do not always match.

Does coffee, a cold shower or a walk speed up alcohol metabolism?

They do not remove alcohol from your body. They may improve the feeling of alertness without reducing actual metabolism time.

Does eating change the result?

Eating can slow the absorption of alcohol but does not make it disappear.

Does the calculator take into account the time of the last drink?

Yes. It is one of the key parameters affecting the result.

Can I still have alcohol in my blood after a night's sleep?

Yes. It happens more often than many people assume.

Does the calculator replace a breathalyser?

No. The calculator is an educational estimate, not a real-world driving assessment.

Estimate based on the Widmark equation with a dynamic absorption curve (Mitchell et al., 2014) and elimination rate per Jones (2010). Methodology .

See also

Can I drive after 2 pints? How long after drinking can I drive? UK drink drive limit 2026 Morning after: am I still over the limit?

Have a specific scenario? Go to the pages for "after 2 pints", "morning after" or "penalties" to start from the point closest to your situation.

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