NTSB wants DWI limit lowered

Published : Wednesday, 15 May 2013, 6:54 AM MDT

• Amanda Goodman

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The National Transportation Safety Board announced Tuesday it would like to see states lower the legal drinking limit from .08 to .05.

NTSB Press Release

"There were almost 1,000 fatalities in the U.S. in 2011 involving drivers who had a BAC between .05 and .07," said NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman.

Sighting that and other statistics from a year long study, the NTSB recommended states reduce BAC limits.

"We know that drivers are significantly impaired at .05 there is no debate about that," Hersman said.

However, there is actually some debate about exactly that.

The American Beverage Institute, a restaurant and alcohol lobbyist, has bashed the idea saying it is too harsh.

It is an opinion shared by a lot of local bars and restaurants.

"Most people would consider themselves going out to dinner and having a glass or two of wine to be perfectly fine and completely in control of their faculties, this law would say that legally that you are not and that you're impaired," said The Albuquerque Press Club General Manager Jonathan Wright.

Wright believes lowering the legal limit would scare off responsible customers who fear having a drink or two could land them in jail.

"The problem really isn't the people that are at the lower end of the spectrum the problem really is people that are at the upper end of the spectrum," Wright said.

In fact the ABI said 70 percent of deadly drunk drivers had a BAC of at least .15 nearly twice the current legal limit.

NTSB Chairwoman Hersman said at the end of the day the safest course of action is to not drink and drive at all.

"Impairment does begin with the first drink, male or female 100 pounds or 200 pounds," Hersman said.

The Governor's Office told KRQE News 13 the recommendation is something that should be looked and considered but that the Governor's focus is on repeat DWI offenders.

While the NTSB can only make recommendations if the federal department of transportation backs the idea states could face the threat of losing highway funds if they don't fall in line.