Reporters Feel The Buzz Of 0.08% Blood Alcohol
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Times-Union sports reporter Jennifer Gibson and I were invited to "Take the Challenge" Thursday at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield - so we jumped on the opportunity.
The challenge? Consume alcoholic beverages until we each registered a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent, - then drive an automobile.
The challenge, sponsored by the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving, sounds dangerous at first. But it actually is a very safe event closely supervised by ILEA staff.
At the start of the event, Gibson and I began consuming alcoholic beverages under close supervision of ILEA staff.
Drinking solely to get to a 0.08 percent BAC with Indiana State Police officers, state senator Tom Wyss (Fort Wayne) and ILEA employees was a little awkward - and that's without even mentioning the three Indianapolis television cameras poised 3 feet from our faces. Once we adapted to our new surroundings and accepted the awkwardness, the drinks went down pretty smoothly.
Breathalyzer tests were administered until we reached a BAC of 0.08 percent. We were asked to stop drinking 20 minutes prior to each breathalyzer test and to abstain from placing anything in our mouths, such as water, gum or cigarettes.
Once we reached 0.08 percent, we underwent a standardized field sobriety test administered by the Indiana State Police. The sobriety test included walking a straight line and counting each step out loud, holding one leg forward and balancing on one foot for 30 seconds (piece of cake, right?) and following a police officer's finger to detect eye motion.
I passed the eye portion, but I stumbled a bit during the walking part.
Then - it was out to the car and behind the wheel. We were asked to perform a series of driving maneuvers, which included weaving in and out of pylons and making a 90-degree rear turn into a parking spot. Gibson and I, at ISP officers' request, maintained a speed of 20 miles per hour.
My final BAC before driving registered at 0.094 percent, which is still less than what currently is considered legally drunk. Gibson registered at 0.09 percent, a level also not considered legally drunk.
We both felt too impaired to drive, even though we didn't register as legally drunk, which is 0.10 percent. But Gibson said she would not attempt to drive at 0.06 percent and I wouldn't feel comfortable driving even at 0.01 percent, after three alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol consumption took place over a period of 1-1/2 hours, in which time each of us consumed six alcoholic beverages (diet coke and rum).
The scary part is, legally, we would have been able drive since neither of us registered 0.10 percent.
"With the federal folks just passing this, it's really a hot topic," Tammy Rabe, director of external relations and communications, said.
Rabe is referring to Congress' proposal to lower the national drunken driving standard to 0.08 percent, from 0.10 percent.
According to public relations manager for the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving Jennifer Cox, "Take the Challenge" took place because of all the attention Congress' proposal received from the media. Cox said the 0.08 percent debate is becoming a "hot topic."
"I believe everyone is quite interested in the effects of 0.08," Cox said Thursday. "We had a lot of phone calls (from people) who wanted to do this today because 0.08 is such a hot topic."
Wyss, who was present at the challenge, said lowering the legal drunk limit to 0.08 percent has been his agenda for the past 10 years.
"We've got the whole attention from the U.S. Congress because 101 people have died from Firestone tires," Wyss said. "More than that have been killed (due to) drunk drivers. I really have my feelings for those who have opposed this legislature."
Beginning in 2004, the legislation would gradually withhold up to 8 percent of federal highway funds from states that fail to drop their drunken driving standard to 0.08 percent BAC. President Clinton is calling it a "major victory for public safety and American families," and said lowering the limit would save 500 lives annually out of 15,000 highway deaths each year linked to alcohol.
"The question is whether you're impaired or not," Wyss said Thursday. "I'm not opposed to somebody that drinks."
Alcohol impairment begins at 0.02 percent, according to the council, and virtually all drivers are substantially impaired at 0.08 percent.
Both Cox and Wyss said if this legislation to lower the BAC level passes, it will not affect social drinkers. The council also said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration surveys show that most people would not drive after consuming two or three drinks in an hour and believe the limit should be no higher than that. Recent polls show that two out of every three Americans favor lowering the limit to 0.08 percent when they are aware of how much alcohol it takes to reach that level.
After taking the challenge, Gibson and I were able to gauge the amount of drinks each could consume before becoming too impaired to drive. We both determined there is virtually no difference between 0.08 percent and 0.10 percent. As to being impaired - yes, we were definitely too impaired to drive. We felt drunk. Neither of us would attempt to drive at 0.08 percent - that is unless the state police are supplying the drinks and supervising the drive. It's too bad this opportunity is not available to everyone who consumes alcoholic beverages. The challenge is really an educational event that everyone should experience.
For a state legislative fact sheet on 0.08 BAC or for more information, visit the Web at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov More information also can be obtained by calling the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving at 317-232-1295, or visiting the Web at: www.state.in.us/cji [[In-content Ad]]
Times-Union sports reporter Jennifer Gibson and I were invited to "Take the Challenge" Thursday at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield - so we jumped on the opportunity.
The challenge? Consume alcoholic beverages until we each registered a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent, - then drive an automobile.
The challenge, sponsored by the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving, sounds dangerous at first. But it actually is a very safe event closely supervised by ILEA staff.
At the start of the event, Gibson and I began consuming alcoholic beverages under close supervision of ILEA staff.
Drinking solely to get to a 0.08 percent BAC with Indiana State Police officers, state senator Tom Wyss (Fort Wayne) and ILEA employees was a little awkward - and that's without even mentioning the three Indianapolis television cameras poised 3 feet from our faces. Once we adapted to our new surroundings and accepted the awkwardness, the drinks went down pretty smoothly.
Breathalyzer tests were administered until we reached a BAC of 0.08 percent. We were asked to stop drinking 20 minutes prior to each breathalyzer test and to abstain from placing anything in our mouths, such as water, gum or cigarettes.
Once we reached 0.08 percent, we underwent a standardized field sobriety test administered by the Indiana State Police. The sobriety test included walking a straight line and counting each step out loud, holding one leg forward and balancing on one foot for 30 seconds (piece of cake, right?) and following a police officer's finger to detect eye motion.
I passed the eye portion, but I stumbled a bit during the walking part.
Then - it was out to the car and behind the wheel. We were asked to perform a series of driving maneuvers, which included weaving in and out of pylons and making a 90-degree rear turn into a parking spot. Gibson and I, at ISP officers' request, maintained a speed of 20 miles per hour.
My final BAC before driving registered at 0.094 percent, which is still less than what currently is considered legally drunk. Gibson registered at 0.09 percent, a level also not considered legally drunk.
We both felt too impaired to drive, even though we didn't register as legally drunk, which is 0.10 percent. But Gibson said she would not attempt to drive at 0.06 percent and I wouldn't feel comfortable driving even at 0.01 percent, after three alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol consumption took place over a period of 1-1/2 hours, in which time each of us consumed six alcoholic beverages (diet coke and rum).
The scary part is, legally, we would have been able drive since neither of us registered 0.10 percent.
"With the federal folks just passing this, it's really a hot topic," Tammy Rabe, director of external relations and communications, said.
Rabe is referring to Congress' proposal to lower the national drunken driving standard to 0.08 percent, from 0.10 percent.
According to public relations manager for the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving Jennifer Cox, "Take the Challenge" took place because of all the attention Congress' proposal received from the media. Cox said the 0.08 percent debate is becoming a "hot topic."
"I believe everyone is quite interested in the effects of 0.08," Cox said Thursday. "We had a lot of phone calls (from people) who wanted to do this today because 0.08 is such a hot topic."
Wyss, who was present at the challenge, said lowering the legal drunk limit to 0.08 percent has been his agenda for the past 10 years.
"We've got the whole attention from the U.S. Congress because 101 people have died from Firestone tires," Wyss said. "More than that have been killed (due to) drunk drivers. I really have my feelings for those who have opposed this legislature."
Beginning in 2004, the legislation would gradually withhold up to 8 percent of federal highway funds from states that fail to drop their drunken driving standard to 0.08 percent BAC. President Clinton is calling it a "major victory for public safety and American families," and said lowering the limit would save 500 lives annually out of 15,000 highway deaths each year linked to alcohol.
"The question is whether you're impaired or not," Wyss said Thursday. "I'm not opposed to somebody that drinks."
Alcohol impairment begins at 0.02 percent, according to the council, and virtually all drivers are substantially impaired at 0.08 percent.
Both Cox and Wyss said if this legislation to lower the BAC level passes, it will not affect social drinkers. The council also said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration surveys show that most people would not drive after consuming two or three drinks in an hour and believe the limit should be no higher than that. Recent polls show that two out of every three Americans favor lowering the limit to 0.08 percent when they are aware of how much alcohol it takes to reach that level.
After taking the challenge, Gibson and I were able to gauge the amount of drinks each could consume before becoming too impaired to drive. We both determined there is virtually no difference between 0.08 percent and 0.10 percent. As to being impaired - yes, we were definitely too impaired to drive. We felt drunk. Neither of us would attempt to drive at 0.08 percent - that is unless the state police are supplying the drinks and supervising the drive. It's too bad this opportunity is not available to everyone who consumes alcoholic beverages. The challenge is really an educational event that everyone should experience.
For a state legislative fact sheet on 0.08 BAC or for more information, visit the Web at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov More information also can be obtained by calling the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving at 317-232-1295, or visiting the Web at: www.state.in.us/cji [[In-content Ad]]