Crime & Safety
Should DUI Alcohol Limit Be Lowered To 0.05 Percent?
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable.
By David Mills
One drink could be the standard for drunken driving – at least for some people if the National Transporation Safety Board has its way.
On Tuesday, the NTSB recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent.
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What do you think? Is the proposal reasonable?
About 10,000 deaths a year are related to drunken driving. The NTSB says the lower limit would save 500 to 800 lives a year.
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Officials at the American Beverage Institute called the proposal "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink.
In 2011, 323 people were killed by alcohol-related crashed in Illinois, which makes up 35 percent of the 918 total crash fatalities, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Illinois’ .08 illegal blood alcohol content limit was implemented July 2, 1997.
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