National Transportation Safety Board propose new B.A.C.
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends eachstateloweritsblood alcoholcontent limit for driving.
On Wednesday,local law enforcement in Columbia hope the number of crashes involving alcohol decreases.
The difference between the currentBAC limitandwhat’s beingsuggested isn’tmuch.
Using MoDOT’sapplication ShowMyBuzz,the difference between .05percentand .08percentis marginal.
For anaverage-size woman,drinking three beers over the span of an hour and ahalf would put herover the current legal driving limit.
Sgt. BrianLeer with theBoone County SheriffDepartmentsays, “It is kind of scary how those people at the lowerBACswill tellyou, ‘I’mfeelingthis.I won’tdrive.’ Youknow they are being totallyhonest. Thenthey are at .05, .06, .07, well below.08.”
Police hope if this change goes intoeffect,drivers will think twice before ordering that final drink and trying to drive home.
One studentKMIZ’s Sherree Burrussspoke withis apprehensive about the new change.
“When you look at it from the outsidein,you think it’s a good idea. You know drinking and driving is never a goodidea,butwheneveryou walk into the bars or downtown especially inColumbia area,people are either going to drink or notdrink,orunfortunately,people drink and drive,”saidAndrewNewnesqander, a University of Missouri-Columbiastudent.
Local law enforcement hope more people would think twice before ordering a second drink or trying to drive.
“It’s something once you see one DWI crash that involved someone seriously hurt or fatalinjury,it really drive home the importance of DWI and impaired driving,”Leer said.
Even ifa driver’sBAC isn’t over the legal limit,Leersaid a drivercan still get into trouble for driving under the influence.
