Final answer:
Refusal to take a BAC test typically results in an automatic suspension of your driver's license due to 'implied consent' laws, generally starting at six months. The legal intoxication limit is a BAC of 0.08%, and it takes roughly five hours to metabolize alcohol to sobriety if at this limit.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you refuse to take a BAC test, the consequences vary depending on the jurisdiction, but in general, there will be a mandatory suspension or revocation of your license. In many places within the United States, refusing a breathalyzer or blood alcohol concentration test when suspected of DUI (Driving Under the Influence) can lead to an automatic suspension of your driver's license for a period that typically starts at six months or even longer.
This administrative penalty is known as an 'implied consent' law, which means that by holding a driver's license, you have implicitly agreed to BAC testing if suspected of DUI.
It is important to understand that the legal limit for intoxication is a BAC of 0.08%. The body metabolizes alcohol at a consistent rate, and it takes about five hours for a person with a BAC at the legal limit to sober up.
Any attempt to measure BAC through testing is based on the science of how alcohol is metabolized by the liver and its rate of excretion.