he
transportation bill signed by the President in the Fall of 2000, includes a
provision for a national impaired driver standard of .08 Blood Alcohol Content
(BAC). While that lower limit has not yet been enacted by New Jersey, it's a
good idea to review what it means ahead of time.
hat
does .08 really mean?
According to
statistics provided at the
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Web site, it
means that either a 170 pound man having four drinks in an hour or a 137 pound
woman who has three drinks in that same hour, will
be legally drunk if they get behind the wheel of a car.
ow
will it affect New Jersey drivers?
Not at
all, yet. The current limit is .10 BAC. However, all states that wish to retain their
share of federal highway funds must get behind this bill. So there is little
doubt that NJ will be adopting the new lower standard before the deadline,
rather than risk losing that funding. Update 1/20/04:
NJ Office of the Governor - Governor Signs Law Lowering DWI Blood
Alcohol Content
hat
should I do?
The safest course of
action, laws or not, is avoiding driving after consuming alcohol in any
quantity. Adjust your routine as if the law were already in effect; NJ has
always had the option, based on corroborating evidence, of prosecuting drivers
with levels between .05 and .10 anyway.
ow
can I be sure I'm legal to drive?
The short answer is:
you can't. You can, if you don't weigh 170 or 137 pounds respectively, at least estimate your personal limits with one of the many
charts available that compare the number of drinks, elapsed time and your weight to
determine your likely BAC level. However,
even if these charts were completely accurate
(they're not) playing the game of just sliding under the limit is potentially an
expensive proposition.
You're risking loss of life and property, driving privileges,
inviting onerous fines from the courts and surcharges from your insurance
carrier and license points from the NJ DMV. It's
simply not worth it; you could pay for cab rides for years with the money you'd
spend on just one slip up. Thinking about just refusing the breathalyzer test?
That's an automatic 6-month license suspension regardless of the results of the
forced blood test later.
won't
be caught
Yes, you will.
Roadblocks have been deemed legal by the NJ Supreme Court and are being
implemented in increasing frequency and locations; it's only a matter of time
before you're in the wrong place at the wrong time regardless of how well you
think you're driving. Additionally, with the swing of societal acceptance
against drunk driving and the widespread use of cell phones in the state - the
odds are good that someone will punch in 911 and report your license plate if you
weave just once. Don't risk it.
esignated
Drivers
If you plan on
having more than few drinks over the course of the evening, make arrangements in
advance to have a designated driver in your party so you all get home safely. If
you find yourself in an unplanned situation and are considering chancing the
drive home, don't. Call a cab or get a ride, yes it's inconvenient, but not so
much as taking a cab permanently would be.
ake
it a Safe Holiday Season for All
Recent
statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
show over 38,000 annual alcohol related auto crashes in NJ. A sobering thought,
that should remind most drivers that already practice safe drinking and driving
to be on the look out for the other guy.
Plan
your return trip so you can enjoy your drinks.
