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Related: About this forumScience panel backs lower drunken driving threshold
Source: Associated Press
Science panel backs lower drunken driving threshold
By JOAN LOWY
20 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) Most women would need to draw the line at two drinks, and men at two or three if states follow a blueprint by a prestigious scientific panel for eliminating the entirely preventable 10,000 alcohol-impaired driving deaths in the United States each year.
The U.S. government-commissioned report by a panel of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine made multiple recommendations, including significantly lowering drunken driving thresholds. It calls for lowering the blood-alcohol concentration threshold from 0.08 to 0.05. All states have 0.08 thresholds. A Utah law passed last year that lowers the states threshold to 0.05 doesnt go into effect until Dec. 30.
The amount of alcohol required to reach 0.05 would depend on several factors, including the persons size and whether the person has recently eaten. The report cites studies indicating most women over 120 pounds would reach 0.05 after two drinks. Men weighing up to about 160 pounds would likely reach the lower threshold at two, and those over 180 pounds at three.
The panel, in its 489-page report, also recommended that states significantly increase alcohol taxes and make alcohol less conveniently available, including reducing the hours and days alcohol is sold in stores, bars and restaurants. Research suggests a doubling of alcohol taxes could lead to an 11 percent reduction in traffic crash deaths, the report said.
-snip-
By JOAN LOWY
20 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) Most women would need to draw the line at two drinks, and men at two or three if states follow a blueprint by a prestigious scientific panel for eliminating the entirely preventable 10,000 alcohol-impaired driving deaths in the United States each year.
The U.S. government-commissioned report by a panel of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine made multiple recommendations, including significantly lowering drunken driving thresholds. It calls for lowering the blood-alcohol concentration threshold from 0.08 to 0.05. All states have 0.08 thresholds. A Utah law passed last year that lowers the states threshold to 0.05 doesnt go into effect until Dec. 30.
The amount of alcohol required to reach 0.05 would depend on several factors, including the persons size and whether the person has recently eaten. The report cites studies indicating most women over 120 pounds would reach 0.05 after two drinks. Men weighing up to about 160 pounds would likely reach the lower threshold at two, and those over 180 pounds at three.
The panel, in its 489-page report, also recommended that states significantly increase alcohol taxes and make alcohol less conveniently available, including reducing the hours and days alcohol is sold in stores, bars and restaurants. Research suggests a doubling of alcohol taxes could lead to an 11 percent reduction in traffic crash deaths, the report said.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/63796633935441539083243da89da2b5/Science-panel-backs-lower-drunken-driving-threshold
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Science panel backs lower drunken driving threshold (Original Post)
Eugene
Jan 2018
OP
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,816 posts)1. Speaking only for myself,
I won't drive if I've had more than one drink. I have no idea if I'd pass a breath or blood test after two drinks, but I can tell I'm a bit impaired. And I love to drink. I just try to make sure someone else is driving or do the Uber thing.
no_hypocrisy
(46,028 posts)2. Alcohol and bar/hospitality lobby won't let it go lower than 0.8
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)3. Outlaw cars and no one will have accidents
See how simple it is to solve problems when you don't care what new problems you might be creating?