Submitted by Marsialle Arbuckle, Sr.
Dear Editor,
Drunk driving remains the leading cause of traffic deaths in Michigan. Every year, our state loses between 250 and 350 people in alcohol-impaired crashes. In 2024 alone, a recent MLive report found that impaired driving was responsible for 447 deaths on Michigan roads.
These are not just numbers – they are family members, friends, and neighbors whose lives were cut short by a preventable choice.
One proven way to save lives is to lower the legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%. This simple change costs taxpayers nothing and can have an immediate impact. Research shows that virtually all drivers experience impaired driving performance at 0.05% BAC. Reaction times slow, judgment declines, and the risk of a deadly crash increases.
Michigan is behind the curve. Most industrialized nations already use 0.05% or lower as the legal limit, and states that have adopted 0.05% have seen meaningful reductions in alcohol-related crashes and fatalities.
Lowering the BAC limit to 0.05% is a common-sense, evidence-based step we can take right now to make our roads safer. I urge our lawmakers to prioritize this life-saving policy and for readers to contact their elected officials in support of a 0.05% BAC law.
More information and references supporting this change can be found at: https://micap.org/05-saves-lives/.
Sincerely,
Marsialle Arbuckle, Sr.
CEO
The Center for Urban Youth and Family Development
