NTSB Recommends Lowering Drunk Driving Threshold
- 11 years ago
The NTSB recommends lowering the drunk driving threshold.
The National Transportation Safety Board – NTSB for short – has recommended states reduce the blood alcohol content threshold that indicates drunk driving.
The allotted blood alcohol content in all 50 states is .08, and the NTSB would like to see that number reduced to .05.
The recommendation sparked immediate criticism from restaurant trade groups. Sarah Longwell, managing director of the American Beverage Institute, pointed out that, “Further restricting the moderate consumption of alcohol by responsible adults prior to driving does nothing to stop hardcore drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel."
The NTSB estimates the increase in accident risk at 39 percent among drivers with a blood alcohol content of .05. That risk increases by approximately 100 percent when the blood alcohol content is at .08.
The agency believes that if all states adopted the lower limit, 1000 deaths a year could be avoided.
Regardless of what the limit is, drunk driving laws also apply to other vehicles. A Detroit area man was recently charged for driving a lawnmower while under the influence.
In Minnesota a man was picked up for drunk driving after crashing his motorized recliner into a car.
The National Transportation Safety Board – NTSB for short – has recommended states reduce the blood alcohol content threshold that indicates drunk driving.
The allotted blood alcohol content in all 50 states is .08, and the NTSB would like to see that number reduced to .05.
The recommendation sparked immediate criticism from restaurant trade groups. Sarah Longwell, managing director of the American Beverage Institute, pointed out that, “Further restricting the moderate consumption of alcohol by responsible adults prior to driving does nothing to stop hardcore drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel."
The NTSB estimates the increase in accident risk at 39 percent among drivers with a blood alcohol content of .05. That risk increases by approximately 100 percent when the blood alcohol content is at .08.
The agency believes that if all states adopted the lower limit, 1000 deaths a year could be avoided.
Regardless of what the limit is, drunk driving laws also apply to other vehicles. A Detroit area man was recently charged for driving a lawnmower while under the influence.
In Minnesota a man was picked up for drunk driving after crashing his motorized recliner into a car.