Utah's 'Zero Tolerance' DUI Bill Misses the Mark Says American Beverage Institute

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 8, 2005 -- Utah legislators are missing the mark in a "zero tolerance" bill designed to bar any person convicted of driving drunk from driving with any amount of alcohol in their system at all. The American Beverage Institute (ABI), which represents many of America's favorite family restaurants, distributed a letter today to members of the Utah House Judiciary Committee stating that the legislation creates a "two-tiered" legal system and seriously increases liability of liquor licensees. Most importantly, the bill doesn't address the true source of today's drunk driving problem.

Excerpts from the letter from ABI executive director John Doyle to the Utah House Judiciary Committee:

"[The bill] is unlikely to make the roads safer. Lower BAC levels do little to affect the high BAC and repeat offenders who cause the vast majority of deaths. Studies by state and federal government agencies have reached similar conclusions. These product abusers routinely flout the law; radicalizing that law makes little difference to them.

"Nationally, the average BAC of a driver involved in a fatal crash is 0.19%. At more than twice the legal limit, these drivers are already flagrantly violating the law. Lowering the BAC arrest threshold won't change the behavior of these high-risk drivers ... "

To view the full letter to legislators, go to http://www.americanbeverageinstitute.com/.

The American Beverage Institute is an association of restaurants committed to the responsible serving of adult beverages.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For further information or to arrange an interview please call Mike Burita at +1-202-463-7110.