Should Nevada consider lowering the legal limit?

It has been in the news that one of Nevada’s neighbors will lower the so-called legal limit with respect to their drunk driving laws. Starting in the next day or two, a person in this state who gets pulled over with .05 blood alcohol content or more will face criminal drunk driving penalties.

In Nevada, the legal limit remains .08, where it has been for quite some time, since the last nationwide movement to lower the limit from .10. However, there have been some signs that this new movement to lower the legal limit further has some traction. Other states have considered the matter, and a federal agency recommends the change.

Given the economy of Nevada and other issues, one could easily see state officials wishing to wait on making such a change. However, there is definitely medical evidence that supports the position of those who wish to lower the legal limit.

For instance, according to one analysis, a person who is trying to drive a car at .05 BAC may have slowed reaction times to the point where they will not be able to respond to an urgent situation on the highway that would require them to stop, swerve or take other action. Likewise, at .05, a person may have a hard time keeping focus on other vehicles and may experience problems steering.

The lesson injured victims in the Reno area can take from this discussion is that one need not be at .08 BAC in order to show the signs of being under the influence of alcohol and, thus, a dangerous driver. Any driver whose alcohol use contributed to an accident may be liable to pay compensation to their victims as a result of a drunk driving accident.