Have you ever met someone who thinks that drinking a cup of coffee can sober them up? Maybe you were out drinking with one of your friends, who then needed to drive home when the night came to an end. Perhaps they decided to have a cup of coffee before getting in their car, saying that it would sober them up so they would not risk getting arrested for drunk driving.
Even though some people believe this, it is important to know that it is a myth. Drinking coffee or any other caffeinated beverage is not going to reduce your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). If you had a BAC of 0.10% before drinking that coffee, it is going to be roughly the same afterward. You could still be arrested and charged with DUI.
What is the basis of the myth?
There are a few potential reasons why this myth still exists. One is that your BAC goes down with time once you stop drinking. It takes time to go to a coffee shop, buy a cup of coffee, drink it and then walk to your car. That said, your BAC only goes down by about 0.015% per hour, so doing this is still unlikely to significantly alter it.
The main issue is probably that drunk people feel fatigued and exhausted, especially at the end of the night. Quickly drinking a lot of caffeine causes them to feel much more awake and alert. People may mistake this for feeling sober, thinking that the coffee has somehow reduced their BAC, when they are still intoxicated. However, they are just caffeinated.
There are no tricks to avoid a DUI. If you have been arrested and charged, the most important thing is to understand what legal defense options you have at your disposal. Getting legal guidance as soon as possible will help you protect your rights.