Can you get a DUI from drinking non-alcoholic drinks?

On Behalf of | Feb 15, 2022 | Criminal Defense, DUI |

California DUI laws make it illegal for someone to drive with a blood alcohol limit that is .08% or higher. This would lead to an average intake of four to five alcohol drinks, barring any of the other factors that contribute to how fast the body might metabolize the alcohol.

Thanks to a greater interest in fitness and health, several companies are experimenting with nonalcoholic beers. While the taste may not change, should worry about getting a DUI from drinking too many?

The research on nonalcoholic beers

One incident in Japan has drinkers worried about the potential effects of drinking too many nonalcoholic beers on their BAC levels. In this report, a woman faces charges of DUI after getting into a car accident and testing with a BAC four times the legal limit. Her claim of consuming 15 nonalcoholic beers has some wondering about the content of these drinks.

The look at individual manufacturers

For those who drink Heineken, there is a zero-percent alcohol version of its famous lager on shelves. This is not the only company to release non-alcoholic beers, but it is one of the few that has truly presented a brew with zero alcohol in it. Some of the other options could contain trace amounts of alcohol, with the largest content being up to two percent.

If you consume a true non-alcoholic beer, then there should be no concerns with a DUI. It is in your best interest that you ensure your drink’s contents support the claim of zero percent alcohol before getting behind the wheel.