Federal Agency Proposes Stronger Laws Targeting Drunk Drivers

As New Orleans personal injury attorneys, we have a great deal of experience suing drunk drivers and are well aware of the devastation that these drivers cause to innocent people. In an effort to control drunk driving, laws have become increasingly strict over the last two decades. Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that even stronger laws be put in place to help eliminate motor vehicle accidents caused by drunk drivers.

Of the NTSB’s nineteen proposals, perhaps the most dramatic is a recommendation that states lower the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit – currently .08{d37eae5b8410ed8fb22098597e6ecfa689963c7e8a6548fdf24949bed3e82123} in Louisiana – to .05{d37eae5b8410ed8fb22098597e6ecfa689963c7e8a6548fdf24949bed3e82123}. In support of this recommendation, they cite research indicating that at .05{d37eae5b8410ed8fb22098597e6ecfa689963c7e8a6548fdf24949bed3e82123} most drivers experience a decline in both visual acuity and cognitive functions, greatly increasing the risk of a personal injury accident. Outside of the U.S., many countries – including Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, and the Netherlands – already have legal BAC limits of .05{d37eae5b8410ed8fb22098597e6ecfa689963c7e8a6548fdf24949bed3e82123}, while nations such as Norway, Russia and Sweden have an even lower legal limit of .02{d37eae5b8410ed8fb22098597e6ecfa689963c7e8a6548fdf24949bed3e82123}.

The NTSB also recommended changes that would lead to a wider requirement of ignition interlock devices for convicted drunk drivers, increased use of highly visible enforcement efforts such as sobriety checkpoints to deter drunk drivers, and the use of passive alcohol sensors by law enforcement to detect alcohol vapor in the ambient environment.

While the NTSB and other federal agencies may recommend changes to existing drunk driving laws, it is ultimately up to the individual states whether they will adopt the recommended changes.

If you have been injured by a drunk driver, please feel free to call us at (504) 527-8767.