Crime & Safety

Does the DUI Limit Need to Be Lowered?

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable. What do you think? Tell us in the comments section.

Do you think Illinois needs stricter guidelines for the blood-alcohol threshold for those driving under the influence? 

On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from .08 to .05 percent.

About 10,000 deaths a year are related to drunken driving. The NTSB says the lower limit would save 500 to 800 lives a year. Officials at the American Beverage Institute called the proposal "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink.

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Secretary of State Jesse White said the lowered alcohol limit needs "further study," White's spokesman told the Daily Herald. 

In 2011, there were 1,977 DUI arrests in Cook County's District 3, which Arlington Heights is in, according to CyberDriveIllinois.com's 2013 DUI Fact Book.

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DUI facts from CyberDriveIllinois.com:

  • 323 people were killed in alcohol-related crashed in Illinois in 2011—35 percent of total crash fatalities.
  • 60 percent of DUI offenders are under age 35.
  • Most DUI arrests are made between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on a weekend.
  • The average DUI offender is caught with a BAC of .16—twice the current legal limit.
  • 85 percent of all drivers arrested for DUI are first time offenders.

Tell us what you think: Is the proposal to lower the blood-alcohol limit reasonable? Let us know in the comments section. 


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