Lowering state legal blood alcohol limits to 0.08%: the effect on fatal motor vehicle crashes.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine whether reductions in alcohol-related fatal crashes following adoption of 0.08% legal blood alcohol limits were independent of general regional trends.


METHODS
The first five states that lowered legal blood alcohol limits to 0.08% were paired with five nearby states that retained a 0.10% legal standard. Within each pair, comparisons were made for the maximum equal available number of pre- and postlaw years.


RESULTS
States adopting 0.08% laws experienced 16% and 18% relative postlaw declines in the proportions of fatal crashes involving fatally injured drivers whose blood alcohol levels were 0.08% or higher and 0.15% or higher.


CONCLUSIONS
It all states adopted 0.08% legal blood alcohol limits, at least 500 to 600 fewer fatal crashes would occur annually.
Hingson
R
R
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, MA 02118, USA.
Heeren
T
T
Winter
M
M
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States
D000431:Ethanol