x
Breaking News
More () »

Michigan House bill pushes to lower blood alcohol threshold

The current standard is .08.

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Nearly five years ago, two young people were killed near the Gerald R. Ford Airport by a drunk driver. Their deaths along with the several thousands of others in the country are the reason why there's a new piece of legislation in Michigan. 

"Drunk driving is a 100 percent preventable tragedy; we don't have to have drunk drivers on the road," Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Services Specialist Stephanie Hurst said.

MADD, along with other organizations, are backing Dearborn Representative Abdullah Hammoud in changing the threshold for impairment.

"We are not trying to take your alcohol from you; we are absolutely fine with you consuming alcohol. This is not going to deter you from going out after work. This is not going to deter you from having drinks at home. What we want to make sure is when you are on the road you are safe," Hurst said. "At a .08 you are definitely drunk at a .05 you are definitely impaired driving."

Hammoud said along with Utah, many European countries already have a .05 legal limit standard.

"At .05 you have reduced coordination, you have a reduced ability to track moving objects, you have difficult steering, you have reduced response times to an emergency driving situation. The evidence is overwhelming," Hammoud said.

According to MADD statistics, fatalities from drunk driving were up 32 percent last year, while overall crashes were down.

This bill would also require all-offender ignition interlocks, making Michigan the 34th state to do so. The bill package has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.

Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.

Before You Leave, Check This Out