Every day, victims of drunk driving accidents are dying on the road around the country. Statistics show that annually there are about 10,000 deaths caused by alcohol related motor vehicle accidents, and because the current DUI benchmark that has been set appears to be changing little in regards to life and deaths, transportation safety investigators are fighting to make big changes.
The National Transportation Safety Board has made a proposal to the government legislators claiming that every state in America ought to adopt the same DUI restrictions and penalties. Where most states hold that the blood alcohol content (BAC) level limit is at 0.08, the NTSB is fighting to have that lowered down to 0.05 as the cut off for arresting drunk drivers. Their hope is that by lowering the limit for alcohol content behind the wheel, people will be more mindful of their actions before getting behind the wheel, realizing that they are closer to having consequences for breaking the law. Long term plans with this proposal include the complete elimination of drunk driving in our country, with hopes that as the laws get stricter and there are great consequences, people will stop driving under the influence altogether.
According to the NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman, the American population appears to think that drunk driving accidents are getting better when in reality it is an "epidemic" that is plaguing the country and killing far too many people. She also points out that one third of all traffic accident fatalities are caused by those who are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Over the years both on state and federal changes in drunk driving laws have been made, though with little improvement. The NTSB points out the fact that there have been 440,000 deaths caused by drunk driving car accidents over the past three decades and they hesitate in wondering what the numbers will look like that many years from now if the deaths continue to occur. they estimate that by lowering the standard BAC limit statewide, this could be the start of lowering annual fatalities by 500 to 800 people. They believe that today is the day to fight drunk driving, and if it isn't done now, then when will it ever happen?
One of the studies the NTSB conducted shows that if a 180 pound male were to consume in an hour four drinks, they will reach the 0.08 BAC limit. However, in that same time period they would reach .05 in two or three drinks. Obviously, every person is affected differently by drinking depending on their body's build and how they absorb alcohol, though lowering the BAC cutoff may keep people from drinking that extra drink or two.
While the NTSB is committed to implementing change in the country, they are merely an organization that dedicates their efforts to transportation safety issues advocating on behalf of the people. Even though they are unable to impose the changes, they do have a high influence with those in both state and federal agencies who can fight for these changes. They aim to encourage the likeminded transportation agencies and legislators to make decisions based on their studies and research in order to improve the safety on the roads.
Over the years, the BAC limits are continuing to shrink as they were once .15 in the 1980's and then due to the influence of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) they dropped to .08 in 2004. Whether legislation will pass dropping it yet again, is unknown for certain. In the event you have been arrested for driving under the influence, please contact a DUI defense attorney at our firm today!