SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Utah’s decision to lower its legal blood alcohol concentration limit to .05% appears to be associated with a meaningful drop in alcohol-related crashes, according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Researchers analyzed crash data starting in 2018, when the state became the first in the nation to move the threshold from .08% to .05%. Their findings point to an overall decline of nearly 9% in alcohol-related crashes after the change, adding fresh data to a policy that has been closely watched across the country.
Researchers say the decline began after the law change
Joe Young, media relations director for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said Utah stands alone in the United States with a .05 BAC limit. He said researchers have been interested in whether the lower standard would produce measurable safety benefits.
The study found that crashes involving alcohol dropped after the law took effect, although the trend was interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. After that period, state officials say the numbers resumed a downward path, with crash totals falling again since 2023 and moving closer to pre-law levels.
The findings add to broader research showing that impairment can begin well before a driver reaches the traditional .08% limit. Young said alcohol can reduce lane control and slow reaction time even at lower blood alcohol levels.
Utah officials point to post pandemic improvement
Jason Mettmann, communications director with the Utah Highway Safety Office, said the state has seen alcohol-related crash numbers ease since 2023. In his view, the trend suggests Utah is getting back to a more normal pattern after the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Mettmann said the downward movement in crashes does not mean impaired driving has disappeared from Utah roads. Instead, it reflects a broader safety effort that has included enforcement, public education, and penalties aimed at the most dangerous offenders.
He said state officials believe the law change is one factor among several that have helped reduce crashes, rather than the only reason for the improvement.
DUI arrests remain high and often involve serious impairment
Even as alcohol-related crashes have declined, Utah has seen DUI arrests increase. Mettmann said the average blood alcohol concentration in a DUI arrest is .15, which he described as three times the legal limit.
That detail, officials say, suggests the biggest threat on state roadways may come from drivers with severe impairment rather than those just above the legal threshold. In other words, the people most likely to be arrested are often the ones posing the greatest risk.
The contrast between falling crash numbers and rising DUI arrests helps explain why Utah officials continue to emphasize enforcement. They say the goal is not only to catch impaired drivers, but also to prevent the worst cases from reaching the road at all.
Enforcement tools include tougher penalties and a new license marker
Mettmann credited tougher penalties and increased enforcement efforts for helping reduce DUI crashes. He also pointed to HB437, a recent measure that requires a red banner reading “No Alcohol sale” on the driver’s licenses of people convicted of extreme DUI offenses.
According to Mettmann, the marker gives retailers another way to identify those offenders and block alcohol sales. He said it is intended to stop extreme DUI offenders from going into a liquor store or other alcohol retailer and making a purchase.
Utah officials view the measure as one more tool in a broader strategy to reduce repeat offenses and keep heavily impaired drivers off the road.
Other states may watch Utah as debate over BAC limits continues
Utah remains the only state with a .05 BAC limit, but Young said many other countries use the same standard. The National Transportation Safety Board has also urged states to consider lowering their legal limits.
Researchers say Utah’s results may not translate perfectly everywhere, since the state has its own culture and drinking patterns. Still, they hope other states will look closely at the crash data and consider whether a lower threshold could improve roadway safety.
Young said the broader takeaway is that Utah’s experience may offer a useful model for policymakers outside the state, especially those looking for ways to reduce alcohol-related harm on the roads.
