MADD Michigan Fights Legal Limit Should Stay At .08

Back in 2003, Michigan lawmakers lowered the drunk driving threshold from .10 to .08, however they put a "sunset" on the legislation meaning lawmakers would have a chance to review it to determine if it should be kept in place after a given period of time.

MADD - Mother's Against Drunk Driving - is pleading with lawmakers to keep the legal limit at .08 saying that the lower threshold has been effective. Supporters of the lower .08 threshold say it is one of the factors contributing to a substantial decline in drunken driving deaths and crashes in Michigan. Representatives of the Michigan State Police said alcohol-related crashes have declined more than 30 percent and fatalities have dropped more than 20 percent since 2004.

“As a result [of the lower threshold], lives have been saved,” said Sherry McGee of Michigan’s MADD chapter.

Supporters say there’s another reason to keep the lower threshold in place. Allowing the threshold to rise would violate federal drunken driving standards and could cause Michigan to lose millions of dollars in federal funding each year for highway projects.

Studies clearly indicate judgment and reaction time is damaged at .08 levels, so why make it higher? The committee has not yet voted, but is expected to do so next week.



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