Per mille calculator

You can calculate your blood alcohol concentration yourself using the Watson formula. To do this, you first need to determine the pure alcohol in your drink and then you can calculate the approximate blood alcohol level.

To calculate the pure alcohol, simply multiply the size of your drink by the vol%/100 and multiply this value by 0.8. This will give you the number of grams of pure alcohol you are consuming when you drink the beverage. Here are a few examples:

- Half a liter of 5% beer contains 500 ml x (5/100) x 0.8 = 20 grams of pure alcohol.

- A 0.2-liter glass of wine at 11% contains 200 ml x (11/100) x 0.8 = 17.6 grams of pure alcohol.

- A shot glass (4 cl) of 40% vodka contains 40 ml x (40/100) x 0.8 = 12.8 grams of pure alcohol.

If you know the pure alcohol content of your drink, you can deduce your blood alcohol content from this. To do this, simply divide the pure alcohol content by your body fluid in kg. For women, body fluid is around 60%, for men even 70%.

So if a woman weighs 60 kg and drinks a standard glass of wine (0.1 l), her blood alcohol level is: 10 g/ (60 x 0.6) = 0.28 per mille.

A man weighing 75 kg will have a blood alcohol level of 10g/ (75 x 0.7) = 0.19 per mille after the same consumption.

The blood alcohol concentration decreases by 0.1 to 0.2 per mille per hour, primarily because the liver breaks down the alcohol. The woman in the example is therefore back to zero after 1.5 - 3 hours, the man after 1 - 2 hours. Incidentally, the breakdown of alcohol cannot be accelerated - neither by non-alcoholic drinks nor by fresh air, walking or dancing.

If the calculations sound too complicated for you, you can easily calculate your blood alcohol level using an online alcohol calculator, e.g. this one here. It shows you how many promille you have and when you can expect to be sober again. This can help you decide which means of transportation should be your mode of choice.

Alcohol in road traffic

Alcohol in road traffic is (partly) responsible for 4.5% of accidents resulting in personal injury. Alcohol leads to a reduced ability to react, coordinate and concentrate and can therefore have dangerous consequences in road traffic. To avoid endangering yourself and other people, it is important to adhere to the legal requirements. Decisions are made according to age, driving experience and vehicle.

0.0 per mille

The rule applies to all new drivers in their first two years of driving and to all persons under the age of 21: no drinking and driving. Road accidents occur more frequently than average among novice drivers and young people. The aim of the regulation is therefore to protect groups of people who are particularly at risk. Drivers often have a high level of responsibility not only for themselves, but also for their passengers. The rule is therefore not intended to spoil young people's fun, but to save lives.

0.3 per mille

People who are over 21 and no longer novice drivers are allowed to drink a small amount of alcohol and then drive. However, if the person driving has a blood alcohol level of at least 0.3 per mille and then causes an accident or exhibits behavior typical of alcohol, they will be charged and fined. Even at 0.3 per mille, our body reacts with reduced visual performance and our concentration, judgment and ability to react are impaired. Incidentally, a blood alcohol level of 0.3 is quickly reached. For a 55 kg woman, 10 g of pure alcohol, i.e. a 0.25 l beer or a glass of wine (0.1 l), is enough. For a man weighing 75 kg, the value of 0.3 per mille is reached with around 30 g of pure alcohol, i.e. three small beers.

0.5 per mille

From 0.5 per mille, driving a motor vehicle is considered an offense. It doesn't matter whether it's a moped, motorcycle or car and whether or not there are alcohol-related abnormalities. If you are caught, this will result in a driving ban and a fine. If the alcohol level is between 0.5 and 1.09 per mille, you can expect a €500 fine, a one-month driving ban and two points in Flensburg. Incidentally, the same rules as for cars also apply to e-scooters and e-bikes!

1.1 per mille

If you are caught driving with a blood alcohol level of 1.1 or more, you can expect a number of negative consequences. Because from this value onwards, it is considered a criminal offense, as it is "absolutely unfit to drive". This can result in fines, disqualification from driving and points in Flensburg. Anyone with a blood alcohol level of 1.1 or more should therefore leave their car at home.

1.6 per mille

There is also a limit for cyclists. Anyone caught with a blood alcohol level of 1.6 or more on their bike will receive points in Flensburg and a fine, as it is a criminal offense above this level. Attending a medical-psychological examination is also mandatory from this blood alcohol level (regardless of the vehicle). You can see how a blood alcohol level of 1.6 affects driving behavior, coordination and responsiveness in the PULS self-test video. So if you are unsure about your blood alcohol level in the future, the wisest thing to do is to follow the motto "If you love your bike, push it".