As the holidays were winding down, state and local law enforcement continued to patrol the roads and highways for impaired or distracted divers. During these campaigns of increased awareness, hundreds of drivers can either be ticketed or arrested for driving over the BAC limit in an effort to keeps the roads safe.
But some drivers never seem to take the hint. Police say one man from out-of-state found out the hard way just a few nights before New Year’s.
Would a Lower BAC Limit in New York State Reduce Fatalities?
Many lawmakers continue to push for lower BAC limits across the state.
Back in October 2023, a Wynantskill, NY man blew a a 0.38% BAC, which is 4.7 times over the state’s legal limit, according to New York State Police.
Thomas Louizou, a former federal traffic safety official and founder of the .05 Saves Lives Coalition, stated that 114 other countries had lower legal limits than the United States. WNYT says that other organizations like the National Transportation Safety Board and Mothers Against Drunk Driving have backed previous attempts to lower the limit.
Numbers from the NTSB posted at Stateline say that in the first year, Utah lowered the drunk driving limit, and traffic deaths were cut by 20%.
Man Arrested in New York State for Allegedly Driving Almost 3x Legal Limit
New York State Police said in a press release that on the night of December 28, troopers responded to the reports of a car off the roadway of I-90 in Schodack.
Police say the the uninjured driver was identified as a 43-year-old man from Westfield, Massachusetts. The suspect was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and other traffic violations.
Officials say that the suspect was transported for processing where he recorded a 0.23%, which is nearly three times the state’s legal limit. which is nearly BAC. The suspect was issued tickets, and is due back in court at a later date.
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