this country due to alcohol-impaired driving. What will be our legacy 30 years from now ? Hersman asked. If we do n't tackle alcohol-impaired driving now, when will we find the will to do so ? Lowering the rate to 0.05 would save about 500 to 800 lives annually, the safety board said. Under current law, a 180-pound male typically will hit the 0.08 threshold after four drinks over an hour, according to an online blood alcohol calculator published by the University of Oklahoma. That same person could reach the 0.05 threshold after two to three drinks over the same period, according to the calculator. Supreme Court rules against police in drunk driving case Many factors besides gender and weight influence a person's blood alcohol content, and many states outlaw lower levels of inebriation when behind the wheel. The NTSB investigates transportation accidents and advocates on safety issues. It can not impose its will through regulation and can only recommend changes to federal and state agencies or legislatures, including Congress. But the independent agency is influential on matters of public safety and its decisions can spur action from like-minded legislators and transportation agencies nationwide. States set their own BAC standards. The board also recommended on Tuesday that states vastly expand laws allowing police to swiftly confiscate licenses from drivers who exceed the