Following the Senate's passing a national blood alcohol standard of .08 BAC as part of the $54.7 billion Transport funding Act, Congress has ratified .08 as the Federal standard for determining drunk-driving this October.

If the 31 States that have a BAC limit of .10 do not comply by 2003, they will face a 2% cut back in Federal highway funding in the first year, rising to 8% by 2006. The US Department of Transportation believes that the .08 BAC measure will reduce fatalities from drunk-driving accidents by 500 a year. This is challenged by John Doyle of the American Beverage Institute as the average BAC level for drivers involved in fatal accidents is 0.17, he believes, together with several members of Congress, that the Government would achieve better results by offering State grants for more effective anti-drunk driving campaigns.