As everyone knows, every state in the United States follows the 0.08 blood alcohol limit for drivers. Anyone who breaks this law is subject to a DUI charge, and they could suffer very serious consequences as a result. But the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) doesn’t think that the 0.08 limit is low enough, and they are pushing lawmakers to lower the national limit to 0.05.
This isn’t the first time that the NTSB — or safety advocates in general, for that matter — have pushed for lowered BAC limits. It may seem on the surface like a good idea, but then you have to think about who would be most affected by this law.
By it’s very nature, you are going to target people who don’t break the current law. These are people who may enjoy a drink or two out at dinner, and then drive home after a couple of hours — knowing full well that even though they may not have a 0.00 BAC, they are well below the legal limit and they are cognitive enough to safely operate a vehicle.
Dropping the BAC limit would ensnare these people, many of whom are hard-working, honest people who just want to enjoy a drink or two after a hard day at work. Creating a law that virtually bans anyone from operating their vehicle if they have had a drink will only cause more people to have a criminal record, and for more people to suffer as a result. That doesn’t seem like an effective deterrent to the drunk driving problem.
“True” drunk drivers (if such a term is even viable) need therapy and counseling to help them fix the root problem with their behavior.
Source: Jalopnik, “The Feds Still Want States To Lower Their Drunk Driving Limits,” David Tracy, Jan. 15, 2016