Blood alcohol content calculator
Automatically translated from German. · Read original
Use the blood alcohol calculator to estimate your blood alcohol level after drinking beer, wine, sparkling wine or spirits – and see when the alcohol is theoretically broken down. The figure is only a rough guide and does not give you the all-clear to drive.
Blood Alcohol Calculator
Widmark estimate · not a test of fitness to drive
A rough guide only – real values depend on food, health and drinking speed. If you drink, don’t drive. Novice drivers and under-21s must be at 0.0 ‰.
How the blood alcohol level is calculated
The calculator uses the Widmark formula: alcohol in grams ÷ (body weight × reduction factor). The reduction factor is approximately 0.7 for men and approximately 0.6 for women. A 10 per cent absorption deficit and a breakdown rate of around 0.15 per mille per hour are deducted.
Pure alcohol in grams = volume in ml × % by volume ÷ 100 × 0.8. Half a litre of beer at 5% therefore contains 20 g of alcohol.
Blood alcohol limits in Germany
- 0.0‰: for new drivers during their probationary period and anyone under the age of 21
- from 0.3‰: a criminal offence if you drive erratically or cause an accident
- from 0.5‰: administrative offence – first offence: a fine of €500, 2 penalty points and a 1-month driving ban
- from 1.1 ‰: absolutely unfit to drive, a criminal offence resulting in the withdrawal of your driving licence
- from 1.6 ‰: additional MPU – this also applies to cyclists
Frequently asked questions
What is the alcohol content of a beer?
A man weighing 80 kg will, theoretically, have a blood alcohol level of around 0.3 per mille after half a litre of beer; a woman weighing 60 kg will have around 0.5 per mille.
How long does it take for alcohol to be broken down?
The body breaks down about 0.1 to 0.2 per mille per hour. Coffee, sleep or exercise do not speed this up.
Can I rely on the calculator?
No. The actual blood alcohol level depends on what you’ve eaten, your health, any medication you’re taking and how quickly you’ve drunk the beer. If you’ve been drinking, you shouldn’t drive.