The public doesn't really know how serious it is to be accused of drunk driving. Most people also don't understand that you can be accused of drunk driving after only one drink, and in some instances, without having consumed any alcohol.
Lower and Lower Limits
Undoubtedly, drunk drivers cause some serious and fatal accidents, but the average blood alcohol level of a drunk driver causing an accident is 0.17. And advocacy groups such as MADD distort the number of accidents, while politicians continue to lower the legal blood alcohol limit, arresting more drivers rather than directing resources at stopping the seriously drunken drivers. This isn't being tough on crime; it's avoiding the problem.
At one time, the legal blood alcohol limit was 0.15 percent, a level at which most people are intoxicated based upon studies by the American Medical Association. Later, it was lowered to 0.10 percent, and a driver is now considered to be intoxicated at 0.08 percent, nearly half the prior level. This new level of legal intoxication includes people who show no signs of impairment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has suggested that the legal limits be reduced to 0.05. Using the same logic that if it's dangerous to driver over 100 mph and the speed limit is 70 mph, we ought to reduce the speed limit to 35 mph so we can catch more people driving over 100 mph.