I'm betting cell phones beat that percentage...
What did they blame it on before cell phones. The percentage of drivers with cell phones has gone from almost 0% to over 99% in about 30 years. During the same period the number of traffic accidents has plummeted to all time lows. I know there are accidents caused by drivers distracted by phones. And I get as annoyed by some drivers as much as anyone. But the numbers don't add up. I don't think they are causing nearly as many problem as we're being told. There are certain people who simply can't drive worth a crap and the phone just makes them worse. I"m of the opinion that anyone who can't "talk" on a phone and drive simply can't drive anyway. Those people will end up causing a crash with, or without a phone. I don't have a problem with talkers. It is the texting where the danger lies.
The .05 standard has applied to anyone with a CDL all along even when not driving a commercial vehicle. I simply don't know enough to say whether someone at .08 is impaired enough to matter. But I certainly don't want impaired drivers out there. Sounds like they are just applying the same rules to everyone.
Just a word of warning if you do drink and drive, even a little. About 10 years ago we had a crash where a young mother pulled out of an intersection in front of a guy on his way home from work. The young mother did not have the right of way, the guy did. But the guy had stopped for a beer on the way home. I don't know what his BAC registered, but they could not charge him with DUI. But an overly aggressive DA did push for and win a conviction claiming that the alcohol contributed to the crash. He spent several months in prison before having the conviction thrown out on appeal. There should have never been a trail, but his life was basically ruined by the time he got out.
