Lower alcohol limits?

Would a suggested reduction in the drunken driving baseline work in Pennsylvania?

That topic has been met with mixed reviews after a forum of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine made various suggestions through the U.S. government-commissioned report.

The esteemed scientific panel made a recommendation for states to lower the blood-alcohol concentration threshold from 0.08 to 0.05. All states have 0.08 thresholds, although Utah last year approved a 0.05 limit, which will go into effect Dec. 30, 2018, making it the strictest in the nation.

Also as part of its 489-page report, the panel recommended that states significantly increase alcohol taxes and make alcohol less conveniently available, including reducing the hours and days alcohol is sold in stores, bars and restaurants.

Commissioned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which asked the academies to determine which strategies for reducing drunken driving have been proven effective, the report also calls for cracking down on sales to people under 21 or who are already intoxicated to discourage binge drinking, and putting limits on alcohol marketing while funding anti-alcohol campaigns similar to those against smoking.

Rob Mikulski, Carbon Monroe Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission assistant administrator, said he’s aware there’s been some talk at the state level about the matter.

“Impairment begins with the first drink,” Mikulski said. “I’m sure the alcohol beverage industry, it would affect them tremendously.”

However, Mikulski added, “Anything to keep the roads safer is a good thing, and really that’s the whole point of the DUI laws.”

“It’s not saying that you can’t drink,” he said.

Mikulski added, “It’s kind of an interesting thing because yes, you don’t want to really affect the businesses.”

“It’s not saying they’re going to close all the bars, just to make the individuals responsible for not getting behind the wheel,” he said.

Tamaqua Police Chief Rick Weaver said he doesn’t believe lowering the blood-alcohol concentration threshold is a good idea.

“I just think it’s low enough the way it is,” said Weaver who added that making the threshold even lower means a casual drinker would even be susceptible to DUI. “Basically what they’re doing if you drink more than one, you can’t drive.”

Jean Engler, Carbon County District Attorney, noted that, “Right now, the law has not responded to that.

“It would first take an act of Pennsylvania legislature to do that,” Engler said. “We have to enforce the law if it’s enacted, as would the police.”

Engler added, “More and more, we’re seeing so many drug DUIs.”

Could the county court system handle it?

“We would have no choice,” she said. “Right now, we are so overburdened.”

Jarratt Trainer, owner of the Palmerton Hotel, said he believes the limit should remain where it’s at.

“I think it’s low enough, they already adjusted it from 1.0 to 0.8 (years ago),” Trainer said. “They want to make it that you can’t drink anywhere and drive.”

Trainer said lowering the threshold would have an adverse effect on his business.

“I feel as a bar owner, the police are kind of already around and watching already,” he said. “Those lower limits would definitely affect my business in a negative way, because less people are going to go out and drink and enjoy themselves.”