Michigan Looks To Lower Drunk Driving Limit to .05
LANSING, Mich. (CBS Detroit/ AP) - Michigan Legislature is looking to lower the drunken-driving limit to a blood-alcohol level of .05 percent that would make Michigan the second lowest in the US.
MI: .05% BAC policy is favored by a majority of Americans surveyed according to polls conducted by @AAAFTS & @HealthPolicyTMC . @SafeRoadsNow urges MI Leg. to advance HBs 4420 & 4421
— Advocates (@SafeRoadsNow) March 21, 2019
The bill, proposed by Democrats, is supported by MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Member Homendy: Lowering the per se BAC limit & requiring ignition interlocks for all-offenders will prevent alcohol-impaired driving. The NTSB supports the 2 proven countermeasures being considered here in MI. If enacted, they will reduce impaired driving crashes in MI. pic.twitter.com/VcoTocOHde
— NTSB (@NTSB) March 21, 2019
It would drop the limit to 0.05 percent, from 0.08 percent - the limit in 48 other states, the only other state with a .05 threshold is Utah, which took effect in December.
MAAD President, Helen Witty says, "Critical driving skills are impaired at an alcohol concentration of 0.05."
The sponsor, Democratic Rep. Abdullah Hammoud of Dearborn, says more must be done to prevent "a completely avoidable epidemic." He points to how five Michigan family members were killed in January when a suspected drunken driver headed the wrong way on Interstate 75 in Kentucky.
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