Professional drivers in Australia were tested for their driving skills with zero, .03 and .05 blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) when they were well rested, and then were tested with a .03 BAC between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. after they had been up all day.

Tired drivers with a low BAC (.03) did more poorly than the rested drivers with the higher BAC. All it takes to get a .03 BAC for a 170-pound male is three shots or three beers over two hours, or for a 130-pound female, two shots or two beers over three hours.

“Many people drink responsibly but aren’t actually aware of the damaging effects of low numbers of alcoholic drinks combined with the kind of fatigue it’s usual to see after a late night party,” stated Derry Hallmark, Director of Admissions and Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor at Narconon Arrowhead. Narconon Arrowhead is one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “This information underscores the importance of having a designated driver to keep everyone safe on the way home from a party.

“Unfortunately, there are also many people in the U.S. who are unable to drink responsibly because their addiction to alcohol controls how much and when they drink,” Mr. Hallmark added. “At Narconon, we help these people live safe and sober lives with our long-term, residential, drug-free rehabilitation program. Our unique program provides an effective alternative to 28-day or twelve step programs, and results in seven out of ten of our graduates living drug-free lives after graduation.”