Lower DUI level idea not popular

May 15, 2013

DUIReaction has been swift and largely negative to a federal proposition to lower blood alcohol standards for drunken driving enforcement. (San Jose Mercury News)

Members of the National Transportation Safety Board voted unanimously this week to propose a limit of .05 blood alcohol, significantly lower than the current norm in most states of .08.

Officials of a restaurant trade association boasting more than 8,000 members, the American Beverage Institute, said in a statement that lowering the limit places undue burdens on moderate drinkers and depletes law enforcement efforts aimed at serious drunken drivers.

“This recommendation is ludicrous. Moving from .08 to .05 would criminalize perfectly responsible behavior,” said Sarah Longwell, managing director of the organization.

Jonathan Adkins, spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association, told reporters he doesn’t expect individual states to follow the lower-level recommendation.

“We agree with the recommendations in general, but .08 is the law of the land, and it was already difficult to get to that point,” he said.


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A “revenue enhancer.”


Oops I meant to say….criminalize people who Are being responsible drinkers….


Although I am not a drinker, I am disappointed over the law makes trying to criminalize people who are not being responsible drinkers. So now I assume one glass of wine at dinner can make You a criminal! I understand the importance of getting drunk drivers off the road, but now you are going to have cops stopping mom and pop coming out of a restaurant hoping pop had a beer with his burger. If he had 2 or 3 then he would be intentionally trying to get drunk and should not be driving, but one beer or glass of wine should not be a crime. The focus should be on drivers on the phone. 2 days ago I watched a young lady veer off the road and over correct coming into my lane, sure enough she had her cell phone in her hand.


What they really need is a device that prevents cell phone use anytime the vehicle is moving.

I believe I read a University study somewhere that found that people were 4 times more likely to be involved in an accident using a cell phone while driving then from driving at .08.


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