SB 2463 relating to the Use of Intoxicants while Operating a Vehicle before the Hawaii House Transportation Committee

​​​Good morning, Chair and members of the Committee. My name is Tom Chapman. I have the honor of serving as the 46th Member of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of Senate Bill 2463. This important legislation would lower the State's per se impairment threshold from .08 to .05.

Since 2013, the NTSB has recommended that states establish a per se BAC standard of .05 or lower. In 2018, Utah became the first state to do so and subsequently saw reductions in both its fatal crash and fatality rates relative to the rest of the United States. Passage of .05 legislation in Hawaii would make it the second state to embrace a change that will save lives and cut the number of senseless and completely avoidable crashes.

In 2023, there were a staggering 12,429 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the US. That represents 30% of all traffic fatalities in 2023.

The State of Hawaii alone lost 39 lives to alcohol-impaired driving in 2023, which was 42% of the state's total traffic fatalities - 11 percentage points higher than the national average. That makes Hawaii first in the nation for the proportion of impaired-driving fatalities.

Various countermeasures to combat alcohol-impaired driving have been tried over the years, and some have made a significant difference. Still, the number of crashes and deaths remains stubbornly high.

More needs to be done. And research suggests that lowering the legal BAC standard to .05 will reduce fatal alcohol-related crashes by an estimated 11 percent. More than 100 countries have established a BAC standard of .05 to reduce alcohol-related crashes. The benefits of lower BAC standards are well documented.

Because we know it works, we at the NTSB strongly support legislation that will lower the legal BAC per se standard to .05. Addressing impaired driving on America's roads requires bold leadership. We applaud the bill sponsors and all of you as lawmakers for considering this key step.

That concludes my statement on behalf of the National Transportation Safety Board. I am happy to take your questions.​