How Colorado's Altitude Affects BAC Levels: What Denver Visitors Don't Know
Denver's mile-high altitude creates a unique and often overlooked factor in DUI cases: the effect of elevation on blood alcohol concentration (BAC). At Mile High Legal, our Denver DUI defense team regularly educates both residents and visitors about this crucial scientific phenomenon.
Research has shown that alcohol can have a more pronounced effect at higher elevations. For visitors to Denver (5,280 feet) or mountain communities like Breckenridge (9,600 feet), this can lead to unexpectedly more impairment. The physiological reasons include:
Lower oxygen levels at altitude leading to faster alcohol absorption
Dehydration effects that concentrate alcohol in the bloodstream
Altered metabolism of alcohol in response to elevation
This altitude effect isn't just theoretical—it's recognized in scientific literature and can significantly impact DUI cases in Denver and throughout Colorado's high-elevation communities. Our attorneys have successfully used this defense for clients from sea-level locations who visited Denver and faced unexpected DUI charges.
Colorado law (C.R.S. § 42-4-1301) doesn't provide special considerations for altitude, but our experienced Denver criminal defense attorneys know how to present this scientific evidence effectively in court. This is particularly relevant for:
Tourists visiting Denver from coastal states
Business travelers in town for conventions at the Colorado Convention Center
New residents who haven't acclimated to Denver's elevation
At Mile High Legal, we've developed relationships with toxicology experts who can testify about the "altitude effect" and how it may have influenced your specific case in Denver or the surrounding mountain communities.
For visitors to Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation offers safety information, though it doesn't fully address the altitude issue. Our firm fills this knowledge gap with customized defense strategies that account for this unique Colorado factor.
If you're a visitor who has been charged with a DUI in Denver or anywhere in Colorado's high country, contact Mile High Legal for a consultation. Our understanding of how altitude affects BAC could be crucial to your defense.
