What must occur for a BAC of 0.05 to result in an arrest?

A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 is considered legally impaired in some jurisdictions, but merely reaching this BAC level does not automatically guarantee an arrest. Law enforcement officers typically require additional evidence of impairment to justify an arrest. This may include observable signs such as erratic driving behavior, inability to perform field sobriety tests, or other indicators that the driver's ability to operate a vehicle is compromised.

While a BAC of 0.05 could suggest a level of impairment, police are trained to assess overall driver behavior. If a person exhibits clear signs of being impaired, then an arrest is more likely to occur. Conversely, if a driver demonstrates no signs of impairment despite a BAC of 0.05, officers may choose not to arrest. Thus, the requirement for additional evidence of impairment reinforces the principle that driving ability is assessed holistically, taking both BAC levels and behavior into account.