.05 BAC per se Limit

It's been​ a decade since NTSB has recommended that all states, DC, and Puerto Rico establish a per se blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of .05 g/dL or lower for all drivers.

​​​​​​​​​Driving under the influence of alcoho​l and othe​r drugs rema​ins a leading cause of highway crashes. In 2019, one in four traffic fatalities resulted from crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. And many of these impaired-driving crashes involve drivers who both drink and use other drugs (legal, illicit, and over the counter). Complicating matters, each year, more states are passing laws allowing the use of recreational marijuana and marijuana for medicinal use.

Impaired driving is 100% preventable. We know a per se blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 g/dl is too high. States need to lower per se BACs to .05%, an action only Utah has taken. Too many alcohol-impaired crashes have occurred involving drivers who had previously been convicted of drunk driving. All states need to implement laws requiring all drivers convicted of alcohol-impaired driving to use an interlock device, preventing future impaired driving.

Download NTSB's ​.05 BAC Safety Briefing Facts

​​Presentations and Testimony

• ​February 27, 2023 Testimony before the Joint Committee on Transportation Connecticut General Assembly in support of Senate Bill 1082  Member Chapman
  
  
• February 9, 2023 Testimony before the Committee on Judiciary Hawai'i State Legislature on Senate Bill 160 Operating a Vehicle while Impaired/ .05 Blood Alcohol Concentration​​ Member Chapman
  

​Events 

​NTSB Most Wanted List Roundtable .05 BAC, Part 1: Past, Present, and Future (7/20/2022)

Watch this webinar on the NTSB YouTube Channel​