Craig Rosenbaum | April 15, 2019 | Car Accidents

For many years, New York State law has set the blood-alcohol limit for driving at .08 percent. In fact, this has been the BAL limit for drinking and driving in every U.S. state for quite a while.

However, drunk driving accidents continue to pose a serious danger in New York – and the driver is not always above the limit. Many countries are much stricter about drinking and driving, and the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that states set the BAL at .05. Currently, Utah is the only state with the .05 limit, having officially done so at the end of 2018.

Will New York be next?

New York could be the second states to establish the lower BAL. A bill to reduce the legal limit from .08 to .05 is currently before the state Assembly’s Transportation Committee. The bill would also lower the standard for aggravated DWI from .18 to .12. One of the bill’s supporters in the Assembly predicted that the bill would save lives in New York if enacted.

Safer roads in the state?

Everyone knows that alcohol impairs your ability to drive. The more someone has had to drink, the worse their reaction times, awareness of their surroundings and judgement. Lowering the BAL in New York may allow police to get dangerous drivers off the road who would currently be operating within the law. That could prevent future deaths and serious injuries in car accidents.

Still, it is unlikely that DWI car wrecks will ever go away entirely. Adults have the choice not to drink and drive, and many people make the wrong choice – with devastating consequences for innocent people on the streets. If you have been affected by a drunk driving car accident, you should consider speaking with a capable New York personal injury attorney about your next steps.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in New York City

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Manhattan, NY, and need legal help, contact our New York City car accident lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. to schedule a free consultation.

Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C.
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New York, NY 10005
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