Crime & Safety
Point-Oh-Five Could Be the New DUI
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends reducing the limit for drunken driving from 0.08 to 0.05. Some say it would save lives. Others say it's unreasonable.
One drink could be the standard for drunken driving – at least for some people if the National Transporation Safety Board has its way.
On Tuesday, the NTSB recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from 0.08 percent to 0.05 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.
People killed or injured by drunken drivers in Patch Silicon Valley cities in 2010 (cities with 25,000-plus population; with ranking based on incidents per 1,000 population):
- Campbell, 19 (Ranked 23 out of 93 in its population group)
- Cupertino, 5 (Ranked 102 out of 103 in its population group)
- Gilroy, 13 (Ranked 56 out of 93 in its population group)
- Los Altos, 5 (Ranked 72 out of 93 in its population group)
- Los Gatos, 10 (Ranked 43 out of 93 in its population group)
- Milpitas, 27 (Ranked 44 out of 103 in its population group)
- Mountain View, 26 (Ranked 58 out of 103 in its population group)
- Palo Alto, 34 (Ranked 22 out of 203 in its population group)
- Saratoga, 2 (Ranked 88 out of 93 in its population group)
- Santa Clara County, 938 (Ranked 54 of 58 counties by average population)
— Patch Field Editor David Mills contributed reporting.
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