Legal Drinking Limit Could be Lowered from .08 to .05

The National Transportation Safety Board announced today that it would like to see all 50 states lower the blood-alcohol level to determine when a person is intoxicated from .08 to .05.

According to CNN:

The idea is part of a safety board initiative outlined in a staff report and approved by the panel to eliminate drunk driving, which accounts for about a third of all road deaths.

The board acknowledged that there was "no silver bullet," but that more action is needed.

"This is critical because impaired driving remains one of the biggest killers in the United States," NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman said ahead of a vote by the panel on a staff report.

Lowering the rate to 0.05 would save about 500 to 800 lives annually, the safety board report said.

 

Even though the NTSB cannot pass law they are highly influential.

What are your thoughts?  Should the legal limit be lowered?