Should Drunk Driving Blood Alcohol Level be Reduced to .05?

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently recommended that states lower the blood-alcohol content (BAC) that constitutes drunk driving from .08 to .05.  The BAC measures the percentage of alcohol, by volume, in the blood.  Currently, all 50 states use .08 as the legal limit, above which a driver is subject to arrest and prosecution. Herndon car crash attorney Doug Landau supports the lower limit, having seen the effects on both sides of tragic situations involving drunk drivers.

“Both as a former prosecutor for the State’s Attorney’s Office, and in my current role as personal injury lawyer who helps victims of senseless accidents, I agree with the NTSB’s recommendation.  Take a look at this impressive data provided by NTSB and tell me why the levels should NOT be reduced!”

• At .05 BAC, some drivers begin having difficulties with depth perception and other visual functions
• At .07, cognitive abilities become impaired.
• At .05 BAC, the risk of having an accident increases by 39 percent.
• At .08 BAC, the risk of having an accident increases by more than 100 percent.

“I hope it does not take the states long to heed the recommendation and update their laws,” says Landau.  If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident involving a drunk driver and there are questions as to what laws apply, email or call Abrams Landau, Ltd. at once (703-796-9555).