Utah Lowers Its Drunk-Driving Threshold
Highway 163, in Utah. Bonus fact: this is the place where Forrest Gump finally stopped running.
Photo: Robbie Shade
If you live in Utah, you might want to be particularly vigilant about limiting your alcohol intake this New Year’s Eve. Starting Dec. 30, this state will have the strictest DUI standard in the nation. It will become the first state to lower the legal standard for driving while intoxicated, from .08 to .05.
Utah’s long-standing trend of abstinence
Interestingly enough, Utah was also the first state to transition from a .10 legal limit to a .08 one, 35 years ago. Additionally, 60 percent of the population claim membership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which prohibits alcohol. Considering this context, it’s not surprising that Utah is taking the lead yet again in further lowering the drunk-driving threshold.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) started pushing for the lower threshold back in 2013. T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, one of the NTSB board members, expressed confidence that the revised standard will help improve roadside safety. “People are realizing this is a usable, effective tool that we’ve been neglecting. Just by passing a .05 law, you’ll have an immediate effect on saving lives.”
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Supporting research
Research from the University of Chicago supports the potential of the new standard to help reduce drunk driving-related fatalities. The results from the study showed that a BAC (blood alcohol content) limit of .05 would help prevent 11 percent of fatal crashes involving drunk drivers. This translates to 1,800 lives saved each year.
Studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that a BAC as low as .02 can impair a person’s driving skills. Though, .05 was the average mark when alcohol intake starts severely impairing driving skills.
Despite some backlash from alcohol producers and enthusiasts, the revised regulation definitely promises to increase safety for Utah drivers. We anticipate more news in the days ahead as the state implements the new, stricter DUI standard.
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