Right now, it’s illegal in almost every state, including Connecticut, to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .08 or above.
But Senate Bill 1082 would change that by lowering it to .05 for both drivers and boaters.
"It is vital. It is lifesaving. It is a lifesaving measure," said Sen. Christine Cohen (D-Guilford).
It is a measure Angela Loprete wishes was in place already. In 2010, she lost her 27-year-old daughter, Maryann, to a drunken driver in Stamford.
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"That was the worst thing any parent could go through," said Loprete.
Loprete says the driver’s BAC level was three times the legal limit.
"He destroyed my life. He destroyed my family. And things will never be the same," said Loprete.
However, some are not in favor of the bill and question how effective it will be.
"I still need to be convinced of what the positive impact will be because people who are getting pulled over or driving intoxicated, their impairment is well above the .08," said Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford).
"I don't really think it will make that much difference," said David Rosow, of West Hartford. "I just think it will cause more people some heartache, where they normally wouldn't have had the problem."
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, drivers with a BAC level of .05 -.079 are seven times more likely to be in a deadly crash compared to those with no alcohol in their system.
The proposal could impact how much you're able to drink before getting behind the wheel.
“It might be one or two drinks in your average-size person. You may feel uninhibited and have lowered alertness and impaired judgment even at that level," said Dr. Jonathan Gates, Chief of Trauma at Hartford Hospital.
But advocates say it's crucial for our state.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation says out of all deadly crashes in Connecticut in 2020, 40 percent were due to alcohol impairment. Data shows it was still above the national average the following year.
"We're still looking at preliminary numbers for 2021. We're at 38 or 39%, compared to 31 percent nationally," said Josh Morgan, spokesperson for Connecticut DOT.
Utah was the first state to change the legal BAC limit to .05.
