U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Calls On Congress to Enact .08 BAC Legislation

Topics:  Rodney E. Slater

NHTSA
September 19, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NHTSA 40-00
Tuesday, September 19, 2000
Contact: NHTSA, Kathryn Henry, (202) 366-9550

U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today called on Congress to make .08 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) the legal national limit for impaired driving.

Alcohol continues a major cause of traffic accidents, and was involved in 15,786 traffic fatalities in 1999, down from 16,020 in 1998. While is a positive trend, it is just not good enough and more needs to be done.

A new U.S. Department of Transportation study, which Secretary Slater today announced, adds more compelling evidence that alcohol significantly impairs driving performance at .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). This impairment was consistent, regardless of age, gender or current drinking practices of the test subjects.

The study also found that coordination, attention and reflexes are all impaired at the .08 level. Alcohol impaired performance was measured on such factors as reaction time, lane and speed deviation and tracking.

"The science is clear. This new study reinforces what we have been saying for a long time. That, at .08 BAC, you are impaired, and you should not be driving,@ said Secretary Slater.

House and Senate conferees on the FY2001 transportation appropriations measure are scheduled to meet this week to resolve differences on funding and policy issues between the House and Senate bills. One of the key items in the Senate bill is a provision to make .08 BAC the national standard for impaired driving. The provision calls for withholding a portion of states’highway construction funds if they do not pass a .08 BAC law within three years. The Department of Transportation and the White House strongly support this legislation.

An important precedent was set by Congress when it passed a similar withholding provision for zero tolerance of underage drinking. As a result of that provision, 25 states changed their laws within three years to join the 25 that had already adopted the provision.

"Congress can now take the bold action needed to save lives. Setting a .08 BAC standard in all states is reasonable, is now in place in most industrialized countries, and is a proven life saver. It is clear that providing incentives to states to pass this legislation does not go far enough. I ask Congress to make .08 BAC the law in all states for adult drivers," said Slater.

Secretary Slater also announced incentive grants totaling $43.7 million to states for implementing tough programs to combat alcohol-impaired driving ("Section 410 grants") and increase the use of seat belts and child restraints ("Section 405 grants"). These incentive grants have continued the fight to save lives, it is clear that Congressional action is necessary to have a real nationwide impact on drunk driving.

State-by-state tables listing the amounts and types of grants awarded follows:

FY 2000 SECTION 405 GRANTS