WHEREAS, impaired driving is one of the most frequently committed crimes in the United States; and

WHEREAS, over 38 percent of vehicle related deaths involve alcohol; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that legislation such as .08 BAC, minimum age 21, repeat impaired driver, and zero tolerance laws are effective in reducing alcohol-related fatalities; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that strong laws, combined with highly visible enforcement, reduced alcohol-related crashes and fatalities and, at the same time, reduces other crimes as well; and

WHEREAS, the public supports laws and traffic safety enforcement of those laws to reduce impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, all drivers, even experienced drinkers, are impaired at .08 BAC, with regard to critical driving tasks such as braking, steering, lane changing, judgement, and divided attention; and

WHEREAS, repeat offenders of driving while impaired (DWI) account for about one third of all drivers arrested for DWI each year; and

WHEREAS, Congress enacted legislation to:

• Establish .08 BAC as the national standard for impaired driving as part of the Transportation spending bill (October 2000). States that don’t adopt .08 BAC by 2004 will have certain highway construction funds withheld.
   
• Establish a transfer program (under TEA-21 Restoration Act) that encourages states to enact Repeat Impaired Driver and open container laws; and
   

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police fully supports the passage and enforcement of effective impaired driving legislation, which includes .08 BAC per se, repeat impaired driver provisions, open container laws, a minimum drinking age of 21, and zero tolerance by the states and territories.