Mississippi drops legal blood-alcohol level to 0.08 percent - Policy and Legislation - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Public Roads, May-June, 2002

Mississippi law enforcement officers can expect to make more drunken driving arrests and to respond to fewer alcohol-related crashes as a result of a new State law lowering the legal blood-alcohol limit from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent.

Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove signed the 0.08 blood alcohol content legislation into law on March 18, 2002, making Mississippi the 31st State to lower the driving-under-the-influence offense from 0.10 blood alcohol content to 0.08. The law goes into effect July 1, 2002, nearly two years after former President Clinton signed a bill setting the national standard for driving under the influence at 0.08 and linking State compliance with Federal highway funding.