Lowering state legal blood alcohol limits to 0.08%: the effect on fatal motor vehicle crashes.
- 1 September 1996
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Public Health Association in American Journal of Public Health
- Vol. 86 (9), 1297-1299
- https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.86.9.1297
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to determine whether reductions in alcohol-related fatal crashes following adoption of 0.08% legal blood alcohol limits were independent of general regional trends. METHODS: The first five states that lowered legal blood alcohol limits to 0.08% were paired with five nearby states that retained a 0.10% legal standard. Within each pair, comparisons were made for the maximum equal available number of pre- and postlaw years. RESULTS: States adopting 0.08% laws experienced 16% and 18% relative postlaw declines in the proportions of fatal crashes involving fatally injured drivers whose blood alcohol levels were 0.08% or higher and 0.15% or higher. CONCLUSIONS: It all states adopted 0.08% legal blood alcohol limits, at least 500 to 600 fewer fatal crashes would occur annually.Keywords
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