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Los Angeles is notorious for its tendency to drive drunk.
What with all the clubs and bars, and the still-growing public transportation system that will no doubt be awesome soon but still kind of leaves something to be desired, the temptation to operate a vehicle under the influence seeps into our lives far more often than it should (because—just to be clear—it never should).
But if a new piece of federal legislation is passed, we might see even more DUIs than we already do. According to NBC News, the National Transportation Safety Board voted today to lower the blood-alcohol level content that constitutes drunk driving from .08 percent to .05 percent.
As it stands now, the U.S. is one of only a small number of countries that don't already have a BAC level of .05 percent:
Most countries in Europe, including Russia, most of South America and Australia, have set BAC levels at .05 to constitute drunken driving.
And of course, in L.A., our numbers are skewed thanks to certain reckless celebrities (thanks, LiLo and AmBy).
As it stands now, the recommendation is just that—a recommendation. States would have to opt to adopt the new regulation on their own. So for now...um...please still don't drink and drive anyway, cause it's dangerous and stuff.
