can cops arrest you 12 hours after your last drink if you drank 15 drinks the night before and you went to sleep for 6 hours you've still got at least 5 hours worth of drinks in you that you could be arrested for DUI so if you wake up the next morning you might feel fine but you're still legally impaired and can get a DUI on your way to work and that's happened the general rule is an hour per drink but I like to say an hour per drink plus 2 hours if you've had 10 drinks you should wait at least 12 hours before you drive a car food with alcohol can help but it can also slow the absorption down you just have to be sure you're not impaired before you get in the car