NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In an effort to be tougher on DUI infractions, Tennessee has enacted a new law that gives judges the power to lengthen criminal sentences and lowers BAC level thresholds for drunk drivers.
The same week this state law went into effect, the National Safety Council released a report stating that more than 400 traffic deaths could occur nationwide during the Independence Day weekend.
Essentially, this new law lowers the minimum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for aggravated vehicular homicide or assault from 0.20 to 0.15 percent, giving judges the ability to impose longer prison sentences on drunk drivers who kill or injure others.
"If somebody's injured, or if it's a vehicular homicide, somebody gets killed, and you've had a previous DUI in that situation, this allows the judge to hand down a very lengthy prison term," said State Rep. Ron Gant, who helped pass the legislation.
Gant's advocacy stems from personal experience. Two years ago, he was hit head-on by a suspected drunk driver and nearly died.
"When I first had the crash, I had to go through a lot of rehabilitation. I could not, couldn't feed myself. I had 14 broken bones, from legs, arms, a shattered hip," Gant said.
The timing of the law is significant as Independence Day typically sees an increase in drunk driving crashes. Tennessee ranked 10th in the nation for drunk driving deaths, with 371 lives lost in 2019, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
"When you go through a traumatic experience like that, you can either learn from it and try to help prevent further deaths and try to bring awareness to an issue that is plaguing Tennessee," Gant said.
According to Gant, there are approximately 18,000 DUIs each year in Tennessee, "and that's just the people that got caught."
At a 0.15% BAC level, drivers experience substantial impairment in vehicle control, diminished attention to driving tasks, slowed information processing, gross motor impairment, and severely impaired judgment.
The American Addiction Centers estimates that to reach this blood alcohol level, it takes about 7 beers in two hours for an average-sized man or 5 beers for the average-sized woman – almost double the legal limit.
"Would you want one of your family members to be out there and in that position, knowing that there are people that are drinking and driving?" Gant said.
Under Tennessee law, aggravated vehicular homicide is a Class A felony where offenders face up to 60 years in prison. Aggravated vehicular assault constitutes a Class C felony with penalties of up to 15 years in prison.
"If it saves one life, you know it's worth it, but I truly think this legislation will lead to saving people's lives across our state," Gant said.
Safety officials remind travelers that rideshare apps are available to help everyone get home safely during the holiday weekend.
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