The Morning: America’s drunk-driving limit

Plus, Bangladesh, global markets and Joe Rogan's comedy special.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 5, 2024 Good morning. We're covering America's high drunk-driving limit, as well as Bangladesh, global markets and Joe Rogan's comedy special. A D.U.I. checkpoint in Miami Beach. Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald, via Associated Press A higher standard By Dana G. Smith I cover personal health and have a Ph.D. in the psychology of addiction. Drunk driving is illegal almost everywhere. But what counts as drunk? Nations answer that question differently. Most say you can't get behind the wheel when the concentration of alcohol in your blood (commonly known as B.A.C.) is 0.05 percent or more. Only a quarter of countries enforce a limit above that. The United States is one of them: Its limit is set at 0.08. Experts say that's one reason for the 13,500 drunk driving deaths here every year, according to the most recent data. Note: Percentages are from 109 countries which had available data from 2019. | Source: World Health Organization | By The New York Times When I read about America's outlier status in a recent report, my jaw dropped. As a reporter for The New York Times's Well section, I sometimes write about how alcohol affects our health. Learning about our high blood-alcohol limit sent me down a rabbit hole to find out how it was established and whether people are trying to lower it. They are: "It's one of our highest priorities," Thomas Chapman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, told me. The Times published my article on the effort this morning. In today's newsletter, I'll explain why the United States has such a high limit, why it matters and whether that might change. Outlier nation Everyone learns in drivers' ed that drinking and driving is unsafe. Cognition, particularly sustained attention and multitasking, becomes impaired at or even below 0.05. On driving-simulator tests, people perform worse with any amount of alcohol in their system. Looking at how booze affects driving in the real world, one study reported that people with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 were 38 percent more likely to crash than sober drivers. States have always set their own drunk driving limits. In the 1990s, some were as high as 0.10, and drunk driving deaths were even more frequent than they are today. So Congress voted to set a national standard in 2000. The bill it passed said states couldn't receive federal highway funds if they allowed people to drive with a B.A.C. above 0.08, so that concentration became the norm. Even at the time, some experts thought it was too high. "The 0.08 was pretty much a compromise," said Linda Degutis, a public health lecturer at Yale. The high limit is costly. A 2017 analysis estimated that lowering the nation's legal limit to 0.05 would reduce alcohol-related fatal crashes by 11 percent, saving nearly 1,800 lives per year. Drunk driving deaths have increased by nearly a quarter since that estimate was published, suggesting even more lives could be saved today. In light of this data, one state took action: In 2018, Utah lowered its legal limit to 0.05. In the year after the law took effect, fatal car crashes in the state dropped by nearly 20 percent. It wasn't because people became expert at imbibing the exact right amount. Instead, the law discouraged people from driving after they'd had a drink, said James Fell, a traffic-safety expert at NORC, a research organization. "All they know is that the limit for drinking has been lowered and they'd better be careful," he said. A sweeping change? Other states — including Connecticut, Hawaii, New York and Washington — are now considering similar legislation to lower their legal driving limits. Several national groups, such as the National Transportation Safety Board, back the change. Even AB InBev, the largest beer company in the world, has said it isn't opposed. But experts I spoke with during my reporting say not everyone is on board — and they point to the hospitality industry as the main opponent. The worry is that new rules will hamper alcohol sales and hurt restaurants and bars. (None of the national or state alcohol and restaurant groups I contacted responded to my requests for comment.) But the Utah law had no effect on alcohol, restaurant or tourism revenue, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Instead of drinking less in response to the law, people just got a ride home. For more Recent research makes it clear that even moderate amounts of alcohol can damage your health. Is driving while high on marijuana as dangerous as driving drunk? Here's what the data says. Older Americans are drinking more than they did before the pandemic. THE LATEST NEWS Bangladesh Protests In Dhaka, Bangladesh.  Abu Sufian Jewel/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Bangladesh's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned and went to the airport as protesters stormed her official residence. The army chief said an interim government would be formed. Crowds have been rallying against Hasina's long rule, which had become increasingly authoritarian. Read about the protests. Nearly 100 people were killed at protests this weekend during clashes with the police. Middle East An Israeli airstrike on a shelter in Gaza City killed at least 30 people, Palestinian officials and media said. Israel said it had targeted Hamas command centers; it was unclear if any of those killed were militants. International airlines have suspended flights to Israel ahead of expected attacks by Iran and Hezbollah. Tens of thousands of Israelis can't get home. Israel's reservists are exhausted. That has made Israeli officials hesitant to launch an all-out war against Hezbollah, The Wall Street Journal reports. More International News Rioters attacked a hotel in northern England that has housed asylum seekers after the far right spread false claims that the suspect in a stabbing was a migrant. With its population aging, Japan needs foreign workers. But politicians there are reluctant to create pathways for them to stay. Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro remains in power after a dubious election victory. The only thing that could topple him, history suggests, is a betrayal by his security forces. 2024 Election Kamala Harris Erin Schaff/The New York Times Kamala Harris is expected to announce a running mate soon. Behind closed doors, Democrats are divided about the choice. "We have to get pretty wild": In recent years, JD Vance has said he would break norms and test constitutional limits to execute his ideas. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted that, in 2014, he dumped a dead bear cub in Central Park. Donald Trump has suggested Harris's Black identity is contrived. But in America, Harris has never had that choice, Nikole Hannah-Jones writes. Lots of campaigning for Harris happens on Zoom. Kevin Roose, a Times tech columnist, explains why. Candidates can go viral by embracing memes. But it can turn cringe fast, Joseph Bernstein writes. Weather The storm Debby strengthened into a hurricane. It's expected to hit Florida today. Forecasters warned of flooding in parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. See Debby's likely path. Other Big Stories In Nagoya, Japan. Kyodo, via Reuters Stocks tumbled in Asia and Europe. Investors are concerned about signs of a slowing U.S. economy. The Chicago White Sox have lost 20 straight games, the longest losing streak in the M.L.B. since the 1980s. The Pentagon canceled a plea deal for three men at Guantánamo Bay accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks. Read how the deal came undone. Opinions Progressives should worry about population decline and support policies that encourage families to have children, Victor Kumar writes. Gail Collins and Bret Stephens discuss Harris's strong start and Evan Gershkovich. Here are columns by David French with Justice Neil Gorsuch and Nicholas Kristof on dogs. Subscribe Today The Morning highlights a small portion of the journalism that The New York Times offers. To access all of it, become a subscriber with this introductory offer. MORNING READS In Lino Lakes, Minn. Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times Identity: A proposed "Muslim-friendly" community near Minneapolis was called segregationist. The backlash was called Islamophobic. Nature: Every summer, a Queens beach closes to protect endangered piping plovers. Some residents want it back. Ask Vanessa: "Why do grown men insist on wearing baseball caps everywhere?" Fridgescaping: Home influencers are coming for your produce. Metropolitan Diary: One suit, worn once. No returns. Lives Lived: Anton van Dalen was a socially conscious artist, dedicated pigeon keeper and longtime assistant to the illustrator Saul Steinberg. His own works documented the Lower East Side's evolution from dereliction to gentrification. He died at 85. OLYMPICS Noah Lyles Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Track and field: Noah Lyles took gold in the men's 100 meters. See how he came from behind to win by a fraction. Women's swimming: The U.S. women's 4x100-meter medley relay team won gold and set a world record. Men's swimming: Bobby Finke also set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle final. Losing their cool: Parisians wear their aloofness like a badge of honor. Yet, for the last week, the city has given itself over to the spirit of the Games. Photo finish: See our photographers' best images from the Games. Today: Simone Biles will compete in the beam and the floor exercises to conclude her Olympics. ARTS AND IDEAS Esrey Park in Michigan. Nate Bett "Hiking and kayaking in the daytime? Fun and invigorating. But under a full moon, those activities can be transcendent," Amy Thomas writes. She suggests five nocturnal adventures to add a dose of awe to your next vacation, including a full-moon goat hike in Connecticut, a river float in Oregon and snorkeling in Dominica. Read more of her suggestions here. More on culture Joe Rogan  Troy Conrad/Netflix In Joe Rogan's live comedy special, he jokes about the idea he has any responsibility for the information on his podcast. Read our comedy columnist's review. The Reverend Vince Anderson is a mainstay of the Brooklyn music scene. He dedicates his Sundays to worship, the Mets and his houseplants. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times Try meatballs with a secret: They're half vegetable, half chicken. Play one of the best card games. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was inhibitor. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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