NTSB recommends cutting DUI threshold to .05

Guess I'm going to need to gain another 160 pounds.

 

I shudder to think how many deaths would occur on my local Interstate if the speed limit was 65 mph. It's 50 mph through a tricky section now, and semis still go 70.

 

I think it depends on the highway conditions.

Interstate 10 across West Texas? 80 to 85 is probably safe. Interstate 70 through the Rockies, not so much.

 

Kentucky increased speed limits on interstates to 70 a few years ago. On I-65, just outside of Louisville, is a stretch where the limit drops to 55. Semis and other cars routinely fly through there, even if there's a cop up ahead. If I'm driving, I rarely -- if ever -- slow down through that stretch because I think something will happen if I slow down too much.

 

There's not a chance in hell a manager at Appleby's, TGIFriday's or any other establishment is going to tell its servers, "Remember, no more than one drink to any woman if she looks to be 120 pounds or less."

 

And why would they? There is no ban on drinking. There isn't even a ban on being drunk.

 

Well no, but restaurants and bars have been held liable for overserving patrons who went on to get into accidents in the past.

 

Isn't there already a ban on being drunk?

 

Legalize pot, and I'll bet more than 800 lives will be saved.

Also, will this create a cottage industry for designated drivers?

 

Surely that's not the basis of sound law ... we criminalize this behavior just to make sure the really dangerous behavior (which this isn't) is less likely. And a BAC of slightly above 0.05% simply isn't, in the vast, vast, vast majority of instances, dangerous.

 

Why not?

 

I can't really define "sound law" ... and maybe there's not a legal definition of such ... but certainly widespread acceptance would seem to be necessary.