Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Right now, there is just one state where the legal blood alcohol level is 0.05, Utah. But if Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-119, Swain), has his way, North Carolina will be the second to lower the limit from 0.08. He has sponsored a bill (HB148).
Interestingly, the legal limit in much of the world is 0.05, including the majority of Europe and Canada. Similar bills are being introduced in other states across the United States.
“The hope is to save lives North Carolina,” Clampitt said. “In an 8-year period North Carolina was fifth in the nation for traffic fatalities associated with impaired drivers.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration supports the effort. Last month, the agency published the results of a study that concluded since 2018, the number of crashes and fatalities fell in Utah even though drivers logged more miles.
Clampitt plans to point to the success of the law change in Utah, saying the hope is to see similar changes in North Carolina, with people planning ahead and not getting behind the wheel after drinking.
It’s time for a change, he said, pointing to the fact the law hasn’t changed since the legal BAC was lowered from 1.0 to 0.08 in 24 years ago.
“The bottom line is I want to save lives,” he said. “My boys, one is 17 and one is 15, I don’t want them to become victim or be impaired themselves.”
Clampitt also received a letter of support for National Safety Council, a nonprofit agency.
“Your legislation is not about stopping responsible alcohol use but encouraging and educating drivers to make safer choices when they drink. Too many people die in alcohol-related crashes. Reducing the legal BAC limit to 0.05 will help us address one of the most dangerous – yet completely preventable – road safety risks and save lives,” writes Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO.
Ellen Pitt, a regionally known advocate with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and a member of the Western North Carolina Regional DWI Task Force along with Clampitt, points to the success of lowering the limit in Utah since it became law in 2017.
“When Utah signed it into law, they gave the state a year to adjust. We waited and watched, and when NHTSA came out with their report, what happened was none of the negative impacts people feared happened, such as lower alcohol sales or sales taxes.”
Instead, Pitt said, they found 64% of those arrested on DWIs would have been over the .08 limit and the crash rate in Utah actually dropped.
More than 22% of people interviewed in the study published by the NHTSA said they changed their behavior after the law changed, taking steps like planning ahead and getting designated drivers.
“My question would be how could you not support a life-saving endeavor that has no negative consequences?” said Pitt.
The taskforce began with a draft in March of 2022 and representatives will go to Raleigh on March 30 to support the effort, Pitt said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the average adult would have a blood alcohol level of 0.05 BAC after about three standard drinks in one hour. The CDC has been in favor of lowering the legal limit for years.
Impacts at.05% BAC can include reduced coordination, difficulty steering and reduced response to emergency driving situations, according to the CDC. Learn more by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html.
The bill has been referred to the judiciary committee.
Bill co-sponsors include Edward Goodwin, Keith Kidwell, Jarrod Lowery, Ben T. Moss and Bill Ward.