Participant-predicted, observed, and calculated peak blood alcohol levels: a gender-specific analysis.

In recent years there has been a push by federal and state governments to lower the maximum blood alcohol level at which drivers are considered intoxicated. Many states have lowered the maximum blood alcohol level to .08%. This paper offers insight into drinkers' ability to predict their level of impairment prior to consuming a given amount of alcohol. It addresses the problem of drinkers not knowing how many drinks they can consume before becoming legally impaired. Results indicate males and females differ in their ability to predict impairment levels.