Will California Save Lives with Point .05?

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When it comes to fighting dangerous drivers, California is poised to join the developed world.

Intoxicated driving remains a major cause of death in California, having claimed at least 1120 lives in 2017. Now, the California legislature is considering a powerful law to rein in the chaos. Thanks to the work of dedicated activists and conscience-driven lawmakers, a landmark piece of legislation could set a 0.05% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) as the legal limit for drivers. Currently, the legal limit is 0.08 BAC, and that little downwards tweak could save hundreds of lives.

The bill, AB 1713, authored by State Assemblymembers Autumn Burke and Heath Flora, would make California only the second state in the U.S. to lower the limit. Utah passed a 0.05 bill in 2017, which went into effect at the beginning of this year. But elsewhere in the world, a 0.05BAC is the standard. Countries like Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey all adhere to this standard, while others like Japan, China, and Sweden, insist drivers have a BAC of 0.03 or lower.

Impetus for the bill derives in part from Liam’s Life, an organization started by Marcus Kowal and Mishel Eder in memory of their son, who was struck by an incapacitated driver in 2015. In their campaign’s tribute to Liam, Kowel and Eder note that “drunk driving is a completely preventable problem, yet it still continues to happen.” “Liam’s Law,” as the bill is nicknamed, has the potential to reduce fatal car crashes as much as 18%, according to international research.

As California deliberate Liam’s Law, Oregon also has a 0.05 BAC bill in front of the legislature. State Senate President Peter Courtney proposed the bill, noting that “this is a Mount Everest move. It’s doable, but it isn’t going to be easy. I’m going to fight like hell to make it happen.” The American Beverage Institute—one of Big Alcohol’s major domestic lobbies—has already objected to the bill, as they did in Utah. Chief among their objections is the fact that the majority of alcohol-related fatalities involved BACs of 0.15 percent or higher.

“We’ve dismissed ABI's nonsense before, and so did Utah” said Michael Scippa, Public Affairs Director of Alcohol Justice, “and it’s scientifically illiterate. We know that Point .05 Saves Lives! Denying that just to protect your profits is murderously ignorant.”

Both California and Oregon’s bills are currently in committee, and will be followed closely by Alcohol Justice.

READ MORE about how Point 05 Saves Lives.