A statement released October 27, 2026, by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety highlights new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety regarding Utah's .05 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) law. The study presents data suggesting that lowering the legal BAC limit from .08 to .05 percent deters drunk driving and saves lives.
According to the statement, the percentage of alcohol-related crashes in Utah declined nearly 9 percent in the years following the implementation of the law. Additionally, the percentage of injury crashes involving alcohol fell by 12 percent. During the same study period, Utah's share of alcohol-related crashes dropped between 12 and 21 percent, while neighboring states such as Arizona, Colorado, and Idaho saw a rise in alcohol-involved crashes.
The research from IIHS notes that drivers with BAC levels between .05 and .079 percent face at least seven times the risk of being in a single-vehicle fatal crash compared to drivers with no measurable alcohol. Officials noted that at .05 percent BAC, responses to emergency driving situations, visual tracking, coordination, and steering are diminished.
In 2024, 11,904 people were killed in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver with a BAC of .08 percent or higher, which is the current limit in most states. This frequency equates to one death every 44 minutes. While more than 100 countries utilize a .05 percent BAC or lower limit, Utah is currently the only U.S. state enforcing a .05 percent BAC law.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, led by President Cathy Chase, is urging all other states and the District of Columbia to enact a .05 percent BAC law. The organization also called on Congress to incentivize the adoption of this measure, noting that if all states adopted a .05 percent BAC or lower law, an estimated 1,790 lives could be saved annually.
