Police to fully enforce
0.8 alcohol level starting July 1
By Kyle Boggs
Summer
Reporter
As of July 1, whether or not everyone knows, the
new maximum blood alcohol content allowed for legal driving —.08
— will be fully enforced, said Lt. Jason Domkowski of the Lafayette
Police Department.
At 3 p.m. Friday at the YWCA in Lafayette, a press
conference will be held to let the public know that the once acceptable
blood alcohol content of .10 is being lowered to .08.
Captain of patrol for the Purdue Police Department
Tyree Harris urges people to be more conscious of alcohol consumption
and to be more responsible.
"It won't take much alcohol for a person to be
legally intoxicated," he said. "Driving impairment is very dangerous,
we want people that are drinking to use a designated driver. We don't
tell people not to drink, but to be smarter about it."
Director of the Student Wellness Office Nancy Maylath
said, "The purpose of the press conference is to get the word out and
make sure the public is well informed."
Recently in the Lafayette area, there have been
many outstanding alcohol related tragedies, said Maylath.
Harris said that the change will definitely make
the streets safer.
Rep. Sheila Klinker, D-27, said by the year 2004,
every state in America will have gone to .08 or the Federal Government
will withhold highway dollars.
Klinker is confident that with all the headlines
and news stories on the subject, everyone should be aware of the change.
"Of course, we will always have those type of people
that will do what they want and will risk injuring or even killing themselves
or someone else," she said.
If the lowered blood alcohol content isn't working,
the penalties will have to get stricter, said Klinker.
"The fact that Indiana passed it quickly is a good
indication that we care about federal highway spending and the safety
of the people," she said.
Manager of Jake's Roadhouse, Shannon Yost, said
she doesn't anticipate any problems with the change.
"People that come in our bar are under our responsibility,"
she said. "If someone is obviously intoxicated, we don't even let them
in the door."
"I think it's (lowering the blood alcohol content)
a good idea," said Aaron Gautier, a senior in the School of Liberal
Arts. "Drivers will have to drink less and will be more responsible."
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