How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? A Guide for Commercial Drivers
It’s Sunday night. You’re off work, enjoying drinks with friends after a long week on the road. One more round sounds tempting but as a commercial driver, you know the stakes. Safety isn’t just about your well-being, it’s about everyone you share the road with.
The truth is, alcohol stays in your system long after the last sip, and knowing how long it lingers is more than avoiding a failed DOT alcohol test it can save lives and your career.
At HealthCARE Express Urgent Care, we work with drivers across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas to keep them healthy, safe, and compliant with DOT regulations. Here’s what you need to know:
How Your Body Processes Alcohol
When you drink, alcohol is absorbed through your stomach and small intestine, then moves into your bloodstream very fast. From there, it affects your central nervous system, slowing reaction times, clouding judgment, and impairing coordination.
Your body metabolizes alcohol slowly about 0.016% BAC per hour. That means if you’ve had multiple drinks, you could still be impaired even after several hours of sleep.
Factors That Impact How Long Alcohol Stays in Your System
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Sex: Women often process alcohol more slowly than men.
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Age: Older adults take longer to metabolize alcohol.
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Food: Drinking on an empty stomach means faster absorption.
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Medications: Some prescriptions interact with alcohol and delay processing.
How Long Will Alcohol Show Up on Tests?
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Blood & Breath Tests: 12–24 hours after heavy drinking
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Urine Tests: Up to 3–5 days (EtG tests)
Why It Matters for CDL Drivers
The FMCSA prohibits commercial drivers from consuming alcohol within 4 hours of going on duty. But depending on how much you drink, you might need to wait much longer to be safe. Failing a DOT alcohol test can lead to disqualification, fines, or worse.
Stay Safe and Stay on the Road
If you’re unsure, don’t risk it. At HealthCARE Express, we’re here to help you stay compliant with DOT and FMCSA rules. We offer DOT physicals, CDL medical cards, and drug & alcohol testing at all of our urgent care locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas no appointment needed.
Find a HealthCARE Express Urgent Care near you and keep your career moving forward.
