Nobody supports drunk driving, and most people agree that something should be done to deter drivers from getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. What exactly that “something” is, however, remains the subject of fierce debate. A possible solution, at least according to a tweet from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), would be to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit.
The NTSB has proposed a nation-wide reduction in the legal BAC limit from 0.08% to 0.05% or even lower to deter people from driving while intoxicated. While the NTSB’s push for a lowered BAC is nothing new and has been an initiative of the group for several years now, the idea has gained little legislative or community support, with even major anti-drunk driving organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) having refrained from taking a side.
“We believe we can save more lives and eliminate drunken driving (doing other things),” commented Frank Harris, MADD’s state governmental affairs director. Since the states ultimately have control over drunk driving laws and have little interest in lowering the legal BAC limit as suggested, MADD has instead pushed for more widespread use of ignition interlock devices (IID) which prevent drunk drivers from being able to start their vehicles in the first place. “There has been progress against drunken driving,” Harris added, “But there’s still room for improvement.”
Would Lowering the BAC Limit Be Going Too Far?
Many people, particularly bar owners, have expressed their opposition to the idea, claiming that lowering the BAC even further would essentially be a step towards criminalizing drinking. According to Mark Mueller, the owner of Moe’s Burger and Brews in Rock Island, Illinois, lowering the BAC would prevent responsible patrons from being able to enjoy themselves and instead have them worry about passing an alcohol test after only having one drink. NTSB Vice Chairwoman Bella Dinh-Zarr strongly disagrees, stressing that moving the BAC to 0.05% is about forcing people to have a safe plan to get home before they head out.
For more information on this important story, head over to CNN.com.
Charged with Drunk Driving? Call (303) 720-7280
At the Law Office of Christopher H. Cessna, our Denver DUI attorneys strongly believe that lowering the BAC would only serve to turn a lot of responsible social drinkers into criminals and would do little to reduce the number of drunk driving deaths. For more information on this topic or to find out how our team of trial-tested advocates can defend you against your drunk driving charge, we invite you to contact us online today to set up your confidential case review.