Lower BAC Limit not Likely to Make a Big Impact in Alabama

Every year hundreds of people are killed or injured in accidents involving alcohol here in Alabama. According to the University of Alabama Center for Advanced Public Safety 220 of the 6,859 car accidents caused by drunk drivers in 2011 were fatal. While drunk driving was not one of the leading causes for accidents in the state, it was tied with speeding as a leading factor in fatal crashes.

The number of fatalities has already climbed in the state according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which reports 259 deaths in the recent year. MADD also shows that there are over 54,000 people in the state with at least three convictions for DUI and over 22,000 people who have been found guilty of driving under the influence on five separate occasions.

Alabama encouraged to lower legal limit

In May, Alabama and other states were encouraged to lower their blood alcohol content limit to 0.05 from 0.08 according to NBC News. The recommendation was made by the National Transportation Safety Board, which said that lowering the BAC could reduce the number of people killed in alcohol-related accidents. The board states that on average, alcohol is a factor in 10,000 fatalities every year in the U.S.

The NTSB gave several points to support their recommendation and these points include:

• Four million people admit drinking and then driving
• A large majority of countries already have established the BAC to 0.05.
• Up to a 1,000 lives could be saved if the BAC was 0.05.
• There is a 39 percent increase of someone causing an accident with a BAC of 0.05.
• People often begin showing signs of impairment with a BAC of 0.07
• Australia’s provinces experienced a drop in alcohol related traffic fatalities of 5-18 percent after lowering the BAC to 0.05.

The NTSB points out that drunk driving is still a threat to public safety despite a 50 percent drop in alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the past 30 years.

Benefits of a lower limit in doubt

The American Beverage Institute has already pointed out that lowering the legal limit will not do anything to prevent people with high BAC levels from driving. Here in Alabama some say that it would be better to enforce the laws already in existence according to AL.com. AAA Alabama points out that drivers are becoming more educated, thanks to campaigns that have been launched.

A spokesman for the Alabama Department of Public Safety stated that drivers can already be charged for DUI if they show impairment, regardless of whether their BAC is below or above 0.08. Still, the spokesperson did say that if the state adopted a lower BAC there would have some type of impact but the impact would be debatable.

Thankfully, victims of drunk drivers have the choice to pursue that driver in a court of law. If you have been injured in a car accident, you should meet with an experienced attorney in your area who can help you assert your rights to compensation.