There’s an effort to get tougher when it comes to those drinking and driving in our state.
Tomorrow, a public hearing is scheduled for a bill that would lower the blood alcohol limit for a DUI.
Traffic experts are worried about the dangers of drinking and driving and they’re now pushing an idea that several other states have already considered.
Based on recommendations from the state Department of Transportation, the proposed measure would lower the blood alcohol content for driving and boating under the influence.
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It would drop from the current .08 percent to .05. The DOT says studies have shown people above .05 can already have their driving abilities hindered.
Supporters of the bill say Connecticut is the third worst state in the country when it comes to alcohol impaired deaths and that lowering the limit could save lives.
“This proposal is really a safety initiative to lower that threshold, lower that limit, to really send the message back to drivers, to the motorist that they need to make sure that they're sober, that they're not impaired when they get behind the wheel,” state Department of Transportation spokesperson Josh Morgan said.
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To put DUIs in perspective, stats from UConn’s Crash Data Repository show that from 2020 through 2022, there were more than eight thousand DUI crashes in the state.
During those three years, 190 crashes were deadly and more than 300 involved a serious injury.
The Transportation Committee public hearing starts at eleven on Monday morning, in person at the Legislative Office Building, or online.
