Governor Signs Bill: Drivers Drunk at .08%

With a stern warning to drinkers to stay off the road, Gov. George Deukmejian signed legislation Friday to toughen California’s drunk driving standard--dropping the legal blood alcohol level from .10% to .08% beginning Jan. 1.

Under the bill by Sen. Bill Leonard (R-Big Bear), a few quickly downed drinks can mean arrest and possibly jail time for those who get behind the wheel despite the new law.

The measure, Deukmejian said, represents “a strong message to (drinking drivers) that we are all trying to prevent further injuries and deaths. And they can prevent getting arrested, getting handcuffed, getting fingerprinted, getting taken to jail and spending time there and paying very, very strong fines” only if they don’t drink and drive.

Deukmejian said he will also consider signing another drunk driving bill--one that would impose an even tighter standard for truck drivers by making a blood alcohol level of .04 the legal limit for those who drive for a living.

The commercial driving bill, by Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim), won final approval in the Senate on Thursday. The tough measure, which would go into effect Jan. 1, 1992, would also apply to those who operate ships and boats for commercial purposes in California waters.

Under the proposal, commercial drivers who are caught with any amount of alcohol at all in their system would be kept off the job for 24 hours.

The Seymour bill would bring California into line with new federal standards for commercial drivers. Failure to have those standards in place by 1994 would cost the state an estimated $43 million in lost federal highway funds the first year and $86 million each year thereafter.

Deukmejian noted that increased penalties and tougher enforcement of drunk driving statutes have already had an effect.

Notes Reduction

“We are seeing a reduction in the number of traffic fatalities caused by drunk drivers,” the governor said. “On the other hand we still have a far greater number of such fatalities than we should have in California. Despite all of the efforts there are some 2,239 Californians and more than 23,000 Americans who died last year in accidents involving drunk drivers.”

Deukmejian said he has not decided whether he agrees with efforts in Congress to tighten drunk driving standards even more--to a blood alcohol level of .05%.

“Studies indicate that when somebody’s blood alcohol content level is .05% or higher for most individuals their driving is impaired,” Deukmejian said. “I think there’s no question when it’s .08% that it is definitely impaired.”

About 350,000 Californians a year are cited for drunk driving, said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Maury Hannigan. Drunk drivers are involved in half of all fatal accidents, according to highway patrol statistics.

DRUNK DRIVING LAW

This chart shows the percentage of alcohol in the blood, for various weight levels, after one hour from the time the first drink was consumed. One drink is defined as a 12 oz. beer, a 4 oz. class of wine or a 1 1/4 oz. shot of 80 proof liquor.

Under the new law that takes effect Jan. 1, a driver with .08% or higher is presumed to be drunk; however, those with lower levels could also be cited for drunk driving.

INDIVIDUAL NUMBER OF DRINKS IN ONE HOUR WEIGHT ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE 90-109 lbs. .05 .09 .13 .16 .20 110-129 lbs. .05 .08 .11 .14 .17 130-149 lbs. .04 .07 .09 .12 .15 150-169 lbs. .04 .06 .08 .11 .13 170-189 lbs. .04 .06 .08 .10 .12 190-209 lbs. .03 .05 .07 .09 .11 210-229 lbs. .03 .05 .07 .08 .10 230-up lbs. .03 .05 .06 .08 .09

Source: California Department of Motor Vehicles