WA bill to lower alcohol limit for drivers to 0.05% BAC advances
Proposed law would lower WA's BAC from 0.08% to 0.05%
Due to the spike in deadly crashes in Washington state has lawmakers considering reducing the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit from 0.08% to 0.05%.
A spike in traffic fatalities in Washington state has lawmakers considering reducing the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit, and a recent bill to do so is gaining traction.
Senate Bill 5067 would reduce Washington’s BAC limit from 0.08% to 0.05% and take effect July 1, 2026.
According to The Olympian, Washington saw 810 traffic deaths in 2023, marking the highest single-year death toll in the last 33 years. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission reports that about half of those 810 deaths were drug- or alcohol-related.
The bill is sponsored by Washington Sen. John Lovick, who served for years as a state trooper and the Snohomish County sheriff.
On Thursday, the bill was heard in the Senate Transportation Committee. Sen. Lovick expressed how Washington state roads are not as safe as they were in the past.
What they're saying:
"I see driving behavior that is beyond anything I could have imagined as a state trooper," Sen. Lovick said. "Drivers are weaving recklessly in and out of traffic, passing on the shoulders and speeding just inches away from other cars, inches away from a deadly collision."
Supporters argue the change is necessary for community safety, as impairment can happen at lower levels. Opponents believe the focus should be on high-BAC offenders.
The other side:
"As was mentioned, the vast majority—70% of alcohol-related traffic fatalities— involve drivers with a BAC of 0.15% or higher," said Daniel Olson with the Washington Brewers Guild. "We would fully support and advocate for alternative approaches that would reduce impaired driving on our roads, including stronger penalties for high-BAC offenders and much-needed increased resources for our law enforcement to get these drivers off the road."
A BAC limit of 0.05% is not unheard of; Utah has already implemented this rule. However, opponents of SB-5067 say that despite the law change, fatalities have continued to rise in Utah.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: Information for this article came from the Washington State Legislature and The Olympian.
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