0.2 vs 1.0 per mille — what each level means legally and practically.
0.2 per mille means drunk driving (fine + licence suspension 1-12 months). 1.0 per mille means aggravated drunk driving (prison up to 2 years, licence suspension 12-36 months). Just 0.2 is enough for conviction. One large beer (50 cl) easily puts you over the limit after 30 min.
A 70 kg man reaches 0.2 after about one bottle of beer (33 cl), depending on stomach content, time, age. A 60 kg woman reaches 0.2 after less, body composition makes women more sensitive. The liver breaks down ~0.15 g of alcohol per hour (~0.15 per mille per hour). No shortcuts exist, coffee, showers, or exercise do NOT lower blood alcohol.
Alcohol breakdown rate varies with sex, body weight, and food intake. There's no single formula that works for everyone. If you drank late the night before, you can still be over 0.2 ‰ the next morning, even after a full night's sleep. If in doubt, don't drive. Wait another night instead.
Already at 0.1 per mille (below legal limit): • Reaction time increases 15-25% • Distance judgment deteriorates • Peripheral vision narrows Which is why zero-tolerance (never drive after any amount) isn't moralism. It's safety.