Lowering Drunk Driving Threshold Could Affect Texas More Than Other States

We do a lot of great things, and get so many things right, however driving while intoxicated is a pervasive problem in the United States. And Texas is a pretty big offender. This week, a scientific panel published a study, recommending that states significantly lower their drunken driving thresholds, a move they say will immediately begin saving lives - around 10,000 per year according to NOLA.com.

Specifically, they'd want a shift from the .08 policy brought down to .05 for every state. Currently only Utah has lowered the legal BAC to .05, which goes into effect December 30.

From WFAA:

The U.S. government-commissioned, 489-page report by a panel of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released Wednesday throws the weight of the scientific body behind lowering the blood-alcohol concentration threshold from 0.08 to 0.05. All states have 0.08 thresholds. A Utah law passed last year that lowers the state's threshold to 0.05 doesn't go into effect until Dec. 30.

 

This affects Texas more than a lot of other states as we have so many rural towns between our big cities - which already skews the percentage of drunk driving fatalities. NBC reports that in 2015, "48% of drunken driving fatalities occurred in rural areas".

The recommendation, which will likely draw opposition from alcohol, restaurant industries, and a lot of people - it is a compelling read. Click here to read it in it's entirety.

What do you think? Good idea or bad idea?