Drunk driving is enough of an issue that organizations have been formed to stop or decrease the number of people fatally harmed by drunk driving. Still, the current concentration limit has been considered safe enough. Studies throughout the world show that after 0.05 g/dL BAC, people are too impaired to be decisive or aware enough to drive. Even individuals who maintain BAC above 0.16 g/dL are too impaired after only 0.05 g/dL to drive. Impaired driving leads to poor decision-making and then grievous injury if not death. Countries that have lowered the BAC to 0.05 g/dL have shown a decrease in hospitalizations caused by drunk driving. This means that a lowered BAC and more technology that prevents ignition with BACs above 0.05 g/dL will decrease the number of people who die each year because of drunk drivers. In 2021, 13,384 people died in drunk driving accidents, accidents we know can be prevented (Stewart, 2023, n.p.). The last national lowering of the blood alcohol concentration limit in the U.S. was almost 40 years ago. 

What is my stake in all of this? I lost my brother two years ago to alcoholism. He got into multiple car accidents caused by his impairment. I know if ignition-locked technology had been in place or a smaller BAC might have prevented him from being able to get back onto the road. He never took a life but he had hurt himself in some of those accidents and damaged other vehicles. The property damages and court costs could have been avoided if he had been stopped sooner.

Everybody is impacted by drunk drivers, from being the victim or the driver to waiting for the traffic jams to clear up after the accidents. Things shouldn't remain the same after observing what these changes have meant for other countries and could provide our own. Now is the time to make a change with the increase in binge drinking after the pandemic. 

For greater impact please let your voices be heard and reach out to the organizations below:

U.S. Department of Transportation: contact Secretary Pete Buttigieg, post on their social media handle (Facebook - USDOT; X - @USDOT; Instagram - @usdot), or call their customer service line at 202-366-4000).

Consider visiting the Mothers Against Drunk Driving website for more hands-on opportunities to help: https://madd.org/

For further reading and research:

Protecting Human Lives: A Call to Lower the BAC Limit

Bibliography

Stewart, T. (2023). Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021 (DOT HS 813 435). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813435