If the goal is to reduce car wrecks and save lives, then Utah laws are going in the wrong direction. Based on published statistics, the root causes of fatal car wrecks are DUI (>0.08 BAC), speeding, distracted driving and unrestrained drivers, all at nearly equivalent rates. All root causes are based on poor decisions made by the driver, yet DUI is the only root cause in which we have laws that severely penalize the driver for making that decision.
Conversely, there are no published statistics that those driving with 0.05 – 0.07 BAC are a significant root cause of fatal wrecks. Therefore, applying severe consequences for drivers with a BAC below 0.08 and not addressing the significant root causes will not result in lowering the incidence of fatal car wrecks; rather it is wasting tax dollars and resources.
If the goal is to save lives, we need to remove the morality judgment from our lawmaking process and address the actual real root causes of driving fatalities. Imagine the number of lives saved if the penalties for distracted driving and speeding were the same as a DUI.
Dannette Crooms, Sandy