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State hears argument to lower impaired-driving legal limit to 0.05 as safety measure
Summary
NTSB and state transportation officials urged the Connecticut Transportation Committee to adopt a 0.05 per se blood-alcohol concentration limit, saying the change would deter impaired driving and save lives. Lawmakers questioned enforcement, equity and data from Utah and other jurisdictions.
A National Transportation Safety Board official and Connecticut transportation leaders urged the legislature’s Transportation Committee to support bills lowering Connecticut’s per-se blood-alcohol concentration limit from 0.08 to 0.05, saying the change would reduce fatal alcohol-related crashes and act as a public deterrent.
Tom Chapman, identified in testimony as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, told the committee that the NTSB has recommended a 0.05 limit since 2013 and cited Utah’s experience after it enacted the standard. “The benefits of lower BAC limits are well documented,” Chapman said. “Because we know it works, we at the NTSB strongly support legislation that will lower the legal BAC per se limit to 0.05.”
Why it matters: The committee was told alcohol remains a leading…
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