Experts Suggest Lowering DUI Legal Limit Could Save Lives

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in DUI

Drunk driving is a serious issue in the United States. Every year, drunk driving takes the lives of approximately 10,000 people. This works out to about 28 deaths linked to an impaired driver every single day. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes is estimated to be about $44 billion dollars. In order to mitigate the problem of drunk driving, legislators have limited the amount of alcohol a person can legally have in their body while driving. If a driver is caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.08 percent, he or she will be charged with drinking under the influence (DUI). In order to less the number of alcohol-related car accidents, some experts suggest lowering the legal limit nationwide.

Scientists Say BAC Threshold Should Be Lowered to 0.05 Percent

A panel of accomplished scientists from the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine analyzed data from many sources and came to the conclusion that states should lower the legal BAC limit. Presently, all 50 U.S. states maintain a BAC limit of 0.08 percent. Anyone with a BAC higher than this driving a car is breaking the law. It should be noted that although the legal limit is 0.08 percent, drivers showing signs of impairment with a BAC of at least 0.05 percent can still be charged with a DUI in Illinois.

Several states are already considering legislation to lower the legal limit within their borders, and effective December 30, 2018, Utah will lower its BAC limit from 0.08 percent to 0.05. Scientists on the panel believe that all states should follow suit. The group’s report—which consisted of nearly 490 pages—recommended changing the BAC threshold from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent in order to dissuade drivers from getting behind the wheel after a few drinks.

The proposed law would affect different drivers in different ways. Blood alcohol content is affected by a number of factors, including how much the person drank, what they were drinking, their body weight, and how much food they consumed. Women tend to have a lower tolerance for alcohol than men, so a woman’s blood alcohol content may be slighter higher than a man’s even if they drank the same amount of alcohol.

Beyond lowering the BAC limit, the panel also urged states to increase the tax on alcohol and decrease the accessibility of beer, liquor, and wine in stores, restaurants, and bars. The panel predicted that if states were to double the tax on alcohol, fatal accidents involving alcohol would drop by 11 percent. Critics of the proposed changes say that police should be focusing on dangerous drivers or repeat DUI offenders instead of casual drinkers.

Have You Been Charged with a DUI or Other Alcohol-Related Crime?

As police and lawmakers crack down on drunk driving, it is more important than ever that those charged with a DUI employ the help of an experienced criminal attorney. To speak with a skilled Elgin DUI defense attorney at The The Law Office of Brian J. Mirandola, call 847-488-0889.

Sources:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/blood-alcohol-limit-combat-drunk-driving-panel-article-1.3762568

https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving