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A new study has been published by the American Public Health Association stating that Utah’s new 0.05% BAC DUI Law is ethically acceptable.
Here is an excerpt from the study:
“Ultimately, our analysis suggests that BAC [blood alcohol content] 0.05 laws are ethically desirable because they are likely to prevent substantial harm with minimal restrictions,” wrote Stephanie Morain, assistant professor at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine.
“Policymakers in other states,” she added, “should follow Utah’s lead to reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths and Congress should incentivize these changes.”
“By the time BAC of 0.05 is reached,” the paper notes, “predictable effects on driving include reduced coordination, impaired ability to track moving objects, difficult steering, increased speed, greater inattention and reduced response to emergency driving situations.”
However, there are critics of Utah’s new 0.05% BAC law and the recently published study.
Namely The American Beverage Institute’s communications director, Jackson Shedelbower:
“Cited studies revealing this drop are deeply flawed,” because they rely on a so-called “broad deterrence effect,” he said. That means “drivers at all BAC levels, especially high ones, would be persuaded to not get behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol after a 0.05 law is implemented. This is an argument that defies logic.”
Jackson said that rather than targeting moderate and responsible social drinkers, traffic safety policy should focus on the high-BAC and repeat drunken drivers who are responsible for the vast majority of alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
“The authors even admit that targeting high-BAC drivers could yield fatality reductions of about 50 percent — progress that surpasses even the most ideal scenario authors describe for 0.05.
“The problem with 0.05 laws isn’t that they’re morally unjustifiable,” he added. “The real issue is that lowering the legal limit is an ineffective policy that will only siphon limited traffic safety resources away from the real problem of high-BAC and repeat drunken drivers.”
If you get arrested for a DUI whether is be for a 0.05% BAC or BAC that is higher or lower. Get in touch, I can help.
Get Help From An Experienced DUI Defense Attorney Today
Call Greg S. Law, at 801-261-6228
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Source: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/03/04/utahs-dui-law-limits/
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