The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that states reduce the legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol from .08 to .05. The Board, which has no authority to implement changes, which are left to states and the Department of Transportation to adopt, says lowering the limit will reduce the 10,000 fatalities per year due to drunk driving. According to the board, one person dies in a car crash that involves a drunk driver each hour, and 20 more people are injured, including three who develop debilitating injuries.
The last reduction in legal blood alcohol limits from .10 to .08 took 21 years for all states to implement. However, if the Department of Transportation decides to implement a .05 BAC level it would likely force states to comply by denying highway funding to states that do not make the change.
There will likely be a significant backlash against any reduction in blood alcohol limit for driving. “This recommendation is ludicrous,” Sarah Longwell, the managing director of American Beverage Institute told NBC News. ”Moving from 0.08 to 0.05 would criminalize perfectly responsible behavior.”
The Board, aware of the potential backlash, has recommended harsher penalties for for offenders and better use of emerging technologies to detect alcohol. They are also pushing for more research into developing technologies — such as breathalyzers linked to the ignition — that could be placed in cars to identify at-risk drinkers and prevent intoxicated people from getting on the road.
The Law Office of Zachary Bushatz, LLC is dedicated to fighting for the rights of accused drunk drivers. Even under the current OVI/DUI laws, accused drunk drivers face penalties and repercussions for crimes they haven’t even been convicted of yet. Typically, a driver arrested for suspicion of OVI have the driver’s license suspended before they are even convicted of the crime. Reducing the legal limit from .08 to .05 would just exasperate current problems associated with OVI laws. Instead of lowering the legal limit, I believe a focus should be made to improve current laws and protect both innocent drivers and those who have been accused of a crime they have not yet been convicted of.
If you have been arrested for an OVI you need an attorney to protect your rights and help you navigate the difficult and complicated legal process. Contact the Law Office of Zachary Bushatz, LLC at 937-331-8061 today and see how he can help you with your legal problems.
Related articles
- National Transportation Safety Board recommends that states cut blood alcohol limit for DUI tickets to .05 percent (lifeloctechnologies.wordpress.com)
Zach's Law Blog 