It is an unfortunate reality of life in America that, every year, hundreds of people die in car accidents that are caused by drunk drivers. Although government organizations and private entities have, over several decades, attempted to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, the problem persists. However, according to a recent report, there may soon be a new weapon in the battle against drunk driving: a lower blood alcohol content level under the law.
The recent report noted that The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has recently recommended that the legal limit that defines drunk driving be lowered from .08 percent – which is the level in all states in America – to .05 percent. If states throughout the country embraced this recommendation, it could lead to a significant decrease in the number of drunk driving accidents that occur.
As the recent report detailed, it does not take much for most people to get to a blood alcohol content level of .05 percent. For many women, it would take only two alcoholic drinks. For many men, it would take, perhaps, three drinks.
Will states like Connecticut begin to craft legislation to change the BAC level? Only time will tell. However, in the meantime, there are still people dying on the roadways of Connecticut due to the reckless actions of those who chose to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after having too many drinks. When these fatal accidents occur, the driver who caused the wreck needs to be held responsible.
Source: CBS New York, “Government-Commissioned Study Calls For Lowering Drunk Driving Threshold,” Jan. 18, 2018
