THE WHITE HOUSE

 

Office of the Press Secretary

 

______________________________________________________________________________

    For Immediate Release                                                                                                     September 19, 2000

 

 

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

 

A new study released today by Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater underscores the need for Congress to act swiftly to strengthen protections against drunk driving.

 

The study by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Transportation Safety Administration makes clear that crucial driving skills are seriously impaired when an individual’s blood alcohol content (BAC) reaches .08.  Simply put, this study lends further proof that at .08, a person is too impaired to safely get behind the wheel.  To help stem drunk driving and other safety hazards, the Department is releasing nearly $44 million in highway safety grants to 38 states and the District of Columbia. These grants will provide important incentives for states to save lives through tough programs and penalties to reduce drunk driving and increase seat belt use. 

 

But we must do more to make our streets and highways safer. In the Transportation Appropriations conference report, Congress has the opportunity right now to save an estimated 500 lives a year by setting a nationwide standard of .08 BAC.  The Senate courageously passed this life-saving measure in June thanks to the leadership of Senators Lautenberg and Shelby.  I urge the Congress to send me a final bill that helps make .08 BAC the law of the land without further delay. 

 

30-30-30

 

 

 

 

 

DOT News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 19, 2000
Contact: Kathryn Henry
Tel.: (202) 366-9550

NHTSA 40-00


 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Calls

On Congress to Enact .08 BAC Legislation

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today called on Congress to make .08 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) the legal national limit for impaired driving.

 

Alcohol continues a major cause of traffic accidents, and was involved in 15,786 traffic fatalities in 1999, down from 16,020 in 1998. While is a positive trend, it is just not good enough and more needs to be done.

 

A new U.S. Department of Transportation study, which Secretary Slater today announced, adds more compelling evidence that alcohol significantly impairs driving performance at .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). This impairment was consistent, regardless of age, gender or current drinking practices of the test subjects.

 

The study also found that coordination, attention and reflexes are all impaired at the .08 level. Alcohol impaired performance was measured on such factors as reaction time, lane and speed deviation and tracking.

 

"The science is clear. This new study reinforces what we have been saying for a long time. That, at .08 BAC, you are impaired, and you should not be driving," said Secretary Slater.

 

House and Senate conferees on the FY2001 transportation appropriations measure are scheduled to meet this week to resolve differences on funding and policy issues between the House and Senate bills.One of the key items in the Senate bill is a provision to make .08 BAC the national standard for impaired driving.The provision calls for withholding a portion of states’ highway construction funds if they do not pass a .08 BAC law within three years.The Department of Transportation and the White House strongly support this legislation.

 

An important precedent was set by Congress when it passed a similar withholding provision for zero tolerance of underage drinking.As a result of that provision, 25 states changed their laws within three years to join the 25 that had already adopted the provision.

 

“Congress can now take the bold action needed to save lives. Setting a .08 BAC standard in all states is reasonable, is now in place in most industrialized countries, and is a proven life saver. It is clear that providing incentives to states to pass this legislation does not go far enough. I ask Congress to make .08 BAC the law in all states for adult drivers,” said Slater.

 

Secretary Slater also announced incentive grants totaling $43.7 million to states for implementing tough programs to combat alcohol-impaired driving (“Section 410 grants”) and increase the use of seat belts and child restraints (“Section 405 grants”). These incentive grants have continued the fight to save lives, it is clear that Congressional action is necessary to have a real nationwide impact on drunk driving.

 

State-by-state tables listing the amounts and types of grants awarded follows:

 
 

FY 2000 SECTION 410 GRANTS

STATE 

TOTAL 

GRANT

 

 

Alabama

$653,316

Arizona

$548,792

Arkansas

$411,865

California

$3,798,280

Colorado

$578,811

Delaware

$178,934

Florida

$3,333,057

Georgia

$1,965,051

Hawaii

$197,170

Idaho

$270,644

Illinois

$1,632,496

Indiana

$894,377

Iowa

$560,738

Louisiana

$625,313

Maryland

$587,339

Michigan

$1,403,758

Minnesota

$850,088

Mississippi

$425,829

Missouri

$837,591

Nebraska

$384,753

Nevada

$222,522

New Hampshire

$178,934

New Jersey

$921,170

New Mexico

$349,917

New York

$2,425,522

North Carolina

$942,314

North Dakota

$269,123

Ohio

$1,510,960

Oregon

$526,020

Pennsylvania

$1,638,576

South Carolina

$577,465

Tennessee

$796,828

Utah

$576,563

Vermont

$206,287

Virginia

$951,596

Washington

$815,244

West Virginia

$288,831

Wisconsin

$863,926

 

 

TOTAL (38 States)

$34,200,000

FY 2000 SECTION 405 GRANTS

 

                                   STATES

TOTAL AWARD

1.                   Alabama 

$195,787

2.                   Alaska

$56,356

3.                   California

$1,085,641

4.                   Colorado

$165,438

5.                   Connecticut

$121,072

6.                   Delaware

$56,356

7.                   Dist. of Columbia

$56,356

8.                   Florida

$499,430

9.                   Georgia

$287,477

10.                Hawaii

$56,356

11.                Illinois

$466,608

12.                Indiana

$244,336

13.                Iowa 

$168,044

14.                Kentucky

$170,223

15.                Louisiana

$178,730

16.                Maine

$56,356

17.                Maryland

$176,015

18.                Massachusetts

$216,934

19.                Michigan

$383,494

20.                Minnesota 

$232,237

21.                Mississippi

$134,116

22.                Montana

$73,943

23.                Nebraska

$115,304

24.                New Jersey

$276,059

25.                New Mexico 

$91,548

26.                New York

$662,632

27.                No. Carolina

$282,395

28.                No.Dakota

$80,651

29.                Ohio

$431,869

30.                Oklahoma

$179,914

31.                Oregon 

$150,349

32.                Pennsylvania 

$468,345

33.                Puerto Rico

$124,573

34.                Rhode Island

$56,356

35.                Texas

$756,830

36.                Utah

$84,349

37.                Vermont

$56,356

38.                Virginia 

$248,964

39.                Washington

$213,290

40.                West Virginia

$82,555

41.                CNMI

$28,178

42.                Virgin Islands

$28,178

TOTAL (42 grants - 38 States, 

DC, Puerto Rico, 2 Territ.)

$9,500,000

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