NCJ Number
101906
Date Published
1985
Length
125 pages
Annotation
This report provides research findings relevant to Canadian proposals to lower the current statutory limit of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from 80 mgs to 50 mgs for drunk driving and to replace the one-tiered drunk-driving statute with a two-tiered structure based on BAC. Recommendations are offered based on research findings.
Abstract
Experimental and epidemiologic evidence indicates that BAC's between 50 and 80 mgs do not so affect driving skills as to constitute impairment of the ability to drive in many groups of drivers. Neither are BAC's between 50 and 80 mgs significantly associated with increased risk of accidents among most drivers. Based on these findings, the current statutory limit of 80 mgs not be lowered to 50 mgs. The proposed two-tiered statute would provide more severe charges and sanctions for persons with BAC's above 150 mgs. Experimental and epidemiologic evidence indicates that BAC's above 150 mgs do not reliably distinguish between 'impaired' and 'very impaired' drivers. Given these findings, the current law should remain unchanged, since it provides an adequate range of penalties to accommodate variations in offense seriousness. Tabular data and 116 references.