Drunk driving laws can have major ramifications when it comes to traffic safety. This is because such laws can have big impacts on driver behavior and law enforcement practices when it comes to alcohol and driving. One significant part of drunk driving laws is the legal limit. This limit sets what blood alcohol level in a driver automatically constitutes a drunk driving offense.
As is typical in the U.S. these days, the legal limit here in Texas is 0.08. However, a recent Texas Medical Center Health Policy Institute survey indicates that many people in the state are in favor of lowering the limit.
In the survey, 1,000 Texans were polled. Of these respondents, 60 percent indicated that they would approve of the limit being lowered to 0.05. Meanwhile, 48 percent of respondents indicated that they would be in favor of lowering the limit to zero.
The survey also polled 3,000 people from other parts of the country. The results point to support for lowering the legal limit being higher in Texas than the national average. The survey results indicate that, when it comes to Americans generally, 54 percent approve of a 0.05 limit, while 46 percent approve of a limit of zero.
Why do you think support for lowering the limit is particularly high among Texans? What are your thoughts on lowering the limit? Do you think Texas will see such a law change in upcoming years? If it does, do you think it will lead to safer roads?
When drivers are impaired by alcohol, whether they are over the legal limit or not, they pose a major safety risk to others. Crashes caused by intoxicated drivers can be incredibly severe. When individuals are injured by drivers who were impaired by alcohol or other substances, they often have grounds for pursuing civil legal claims for compensation. Car accident lawyers can help victims of drunk driving crashes with such claims.
