Health educator suggests lower BAC proposal oversimplifies issues involving drunk driving

Getting drunk drivers off the road may be a little more complicated than simply lowering the legal blood-alcohol content to drive.

That’s the view of La Crosse County public health educator Al Bliss.

Bliss said the proposal in a national study to lower the legal limit to drive to .05 may have some impact on whether some drinkers get behind the wheel. But that’s not all the drunk drivers.

“Some of the laws work for certain individuals, but ultimately if they choose to drink at high-risk levels, that’s going to make a difference,” Bliss said. “Someone could be at a .07 and not have the same impairment that somebody might have at a .05.”

The study funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, recommends moving to a .05 BAC. The report says the lower limit works in reducing drunk driving crashes in countries like Austria, Denmark and Japan.

The report also claims the change could save thousands of lives per year. Utah, last year, was the first state to adopt the lower limit.