Hingson R, Heeren T, Winter M
Boston University School of Public Health, MA 02118, USA.
Public Health Rep. 1998 Sep-Oct;113(5):440-6.
To determine whether a Maine law lowering the legal blood alcohol limit (BAL) from 0.10% to 0.05% for people convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) reduced the involvement of this group in fatal crashes.
The authors calculated changes in the proportions of fatal crashes involving drivers with prior DWI convictions from the six-year period before enactment of the law to the six-year period following enactment of the law, comparing Maine with the other New England states.
In Maine, the proportion of fetal crashes involving drivers with recorded prior DWI convictions declined 25% following passage of the 0.05% DWI law, while the proportion rose in the rest of New England during the same years. The proportion of fatal crashes involving drivers with recorded prior DWI convictions and illegal alcohol levels also declined significantly in Maine, as did the proportion of fatal crashes involving fatally injured drivers with recorded prior DWI convictions and illegal alcohol levels. Most of the latter decline was due to a decline in alcohol-related fatalities of previously convicted drivers with very high BALs, of 0.15% or higher, at the time of the fatal crash. Each of these declines in Maine was significant relative to the rest of New England.
Other states should consider instituting 0.05% BAL limits for convicted DWI offenders.
确定缅因州一项法律，即对因醉酒驾车（DWI）被定罪的人将法定血液酒精浓度（BAL）限制从0.10%降至0.05%，是否减少了该群体在致命撞车事故中的参与度。
作者计算了从该法律颁布前的六年到颁布后的六年期间，涉及有DWI前科司机的致命撞车事故比例的变化，并将缅因州与其他新英格兰州进行比较。
在缅因州，0.05%的DWI法律通过后，涉及有记录的DWI前科司机的致命撞车事故比例下降了25%，而在同一时期新英格兰其他地区这一比例却有所上升。在缅因州，涉及有记录的DWI前科且酒精含量违法的司机的致命撞车事故比例也显著下降，涉及有记录的DWI前科且酒精含量违法且在事故中致命受伤的司机的致命撞车事故比例同样如此。后一种下降主要是由于在致命撞车事故发生时血液酒精浓度非常高（0.15%或更高）的先前被定罪司机的与酒精相关的死亡人数减少。缅因州的每一项下降相对于新英格兰其他地区而言都是显著的。
其他州应考虑对被定罪的DWI罪犯设定0.05%的BAL限制。
