Feds Propose Lowering The Alcohol Limit To Save Lives

The government wants to drop the blood alcohol limit for being legally drunk in order to avoid drunk driving fatalities. Yakima businessman Jar Arcand, the owner of Santiagos restaurant says it would not work. Arcand, who lost his brother to a drunk driver in 1976 says lowering the blood alcohol content from .08 to .05 percent simply would not deter people from drinking and driving. And he says it will hurt businesses who sell alcohol.

“Businesses will have to cut hours some businesses may go out of business because of this. Alcohol sales subsidize other sales in restaurants.”

Arcand says that coupled with high labor and alcohol costs would doom many businesses that could see a major decrease in business if the legal alcohol level is lowered. Instead Arcand suggests placing breathalyzer ignitions in all cars.