Legislators Consider Lowering Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit (BAC) To Reduce Drunk Driving Accidents

Every year, on a national scale, over 10,000 people die; just due to drunk driving accidents. As a result, a number of legislators are now working towards lowering blood alcohol content level that is permissible for drunk driving in an effort to reduce the number of associated auto accidents and fatalities.

How Would This Affect the Number of Drinks Legal to Have Before Driving & The Number of Lives Saved?

The reduction would likely be approximately .03 percent, reducing the legal limit blood alcohol concentration limit (BAC) from .08 to .05. According to a new report released by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, lowering the BAC limit to .05 percent would decrease the number of fatalities related to drunken driving by approximately 1,500 lives every year.

By lowering the BAC limit from .08 to .05 percent, people would likely be able to drink only one or two drinks before being considered too impaired to drive. However, some individuals–based on factors such as the ability to metabolize alcohol, the amount of time that has passed since drinking, the amount of alcohol in the drink, gender, consumption of food, and weight–would likely be able to drink between three and four drinks before hitting the .05 BAC level.

How It Works

According to the researchers, impairment for drivers actually starts around. 04 percent BAC, therefore, .05 percent BAC would be more accurate level regarding when people start to actually pose a risk in terms of safe driving on the roads. The report indicated that signs of impairment in that start to appear at .05 percent BAC include:

• difficulty steering;
• reduced ability to see moving objects;
• reduced coordination; and
• reduced response to emergency situations.

Still, More Needs to Be Done

The report also calls on the United States to take additional steps to reduce drunk driving; steps such as:

• changing the way driving under the influence cases are treated in the courts;
• changing how alcohol is advertised;
• creating technology to prevent drivers from driving when the BAC level is too high;
• increasing alcohol taxes;
• mandating that ignition interlocks be installed for anyone who’s been convicted of drunk driving;
• reducing alcohol sales;
• promoting more treatment options for substance abuse;
• increasing enforcement via more sobriety checkpoints; and
• increasing alternative transportation methods.

Contact Our Houston, Texas Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

Every 20 minutes, someone in Texas is injured or killed due to a drunk driving accident. Texas, in particular, has one of the worst drunk driving death rates than any other state.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, contact our experienced Houston drunk driving accident attorneys at the West Law Office today to find out how we can help.

Resources:

nap.edu/read/24951/chapter/1

abc10.com/article/news/politics/why-lowering-the-legal-limit-for-drunken-driving-could-actually-make-a-difference/103-6fb5d012-0fb5-436d-8b7c-c221e7aa46cf