When people go out to drink, they sometimes talk about trying to sober up before they go home. In many cases, their goal is simply to reduce their BAC because they know that they have to drive. They do not want to face impaired driving charges, so they are trying to sober up first.
There are a few different ways that people talk about doing this. Drinking a cup of hot coffee is one potential example. Others include taking a shower, drinking water or eating a large meal.
Does this actually sober you up?
If you have to drive after drinking, though, it is very important to know that all of these are just myths. They are not actually going to sober you up, and they are not going to reduce your BAC. Having a cup of coffee does not magically lower your BAC or mean that you are not going to face impaired driving charges.
In some cases, these tactics can help to wake you up. The caffeine in a cup of coffee or the burst of cold water if you take a shower can certainly wake you up and make you feel a bit more alert. But your BAC is not any different than it was before.
The only real way to get your BAC to go down is to wait, and it generally drops at about 0.015% per hour. If you wait long enough, it can get below the legal limit or even return to zero.
Criminal defense options
Are you facing impaired driving charges, perhaps because you did not realize your BAC was still over the legal limit? If so, you must know what legal defense options you have.
