Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving: 0.08% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Laws
These laws state that it is illegal for a driver’s blood alcohol concentration to exceed 0.08%.
Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends 0.08% BAC laws based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related motor vehicle crash fatalities.
Results from the Systematic Reviews
Nine studies qualified for the systematic review.
- Each study evaluated 0.08% BAC laws in one or more of the 16 states that implemented the laws before January 1, 1998.
- Studies reviewed fatal injury crashes (8 studies) and fatal and nonfatal injury crashes (1 study).
- Fatalities due to alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes: median decrease of 7% following implementation of the law (interquartile range: 15% to 4% decrease; 7 studies)
- Potential lives saved per year if all states enact 0.08% BAC laws: 400 - 600 (3 studies)
- No evaluations were found that met the Community Guide economic inclusion criteria.
These results are based on a systematic review of all available studies led by scientists from CDC’s Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention with input from a team of specialists in systematic review methods and experts in research, practice and policy related to reducing alcohol-impaired driving.
Supporting Materials
- Research gaps
- Summary evidence tables
[PDF - 320KB] - Included studies
- Search strategy
Publications
Shults RA, Elder RW, Sleet DA, et al. Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. [PDF - 67KB] Am J Prev Med 2001;21(4S):66–88.
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to reduce injuries to motor vehicle occupants: increasing child safety seat use, increasing safety belt use, and reducing alcohol-impaired driving. [PDF - 2.30MB] Am J Prev Med 2001;21(4S):16–22.
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Motor-vehicle occupant injury: strategies for increasing use of child safety seats, increasing use of safety belts, and reducing alcohol-impaired driving. MMWR Recommendations and Reports 2001;50(RR07):1-13. 
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Motor vehicle occupant injury. [PDF - 355KB] In : Zaza S, Briss PA, Harris KW, eds. The Guide to Community Preventive Services: What Works to Promote Health? Atlanta (GA): Oxford University Press;2005:329-84.
Mercer SL, Sleet DA, Elder RA, Cole KH, RA Shults, Nichols JL. Translating evidence into policy: lessons learned from the case of lowering the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers. Annals of Epidemiology 2010;20(6):412-20.
More Community Guide publications about the Prevention of Motor Vehicle-Related Injuries
Promotional Materials
- Promotional materials about 0.08% BAC Laws and other interventions to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving
Disclaimer
The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and do not necessarily represent those of CDC.
Sample Citation
The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation:
Guide to Community Preventive Services. Reducing alcohol-impaired driving: 0.08% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) laws. www.thecommunityguide.org/mvoi/AID/BAC-laws.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.
Review completed: November 2001
- Page last reviewed: January 26, 2011
- Page last updated: December 17, 2010
- Content source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services
Contact Us:
- Community Guide Branch
Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office (EAPO)
Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (OSELS)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Mailstop E-69
Atlanta, GA 30333 - Community Guide
