The legal blood alcohol limit for drivers in North Carolina is .08 percent. However, people may be impaired regardless of what their blood alcohol level is. In some cases, they may be too drunk to drive even if they aren't showing any obvious signs of impairment. This is because it can take up to two hours for alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Why drinking and driving is so dangerous
Proposal would toughen North Carolina DWI law
Though North Carolina has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the nation, some people want penalties made even harsher. The legislative Child Fatality Task Force recently voted in support of a proposal to add a requirement for ignition interlock device installation for all those convicted of DWI (also known as DUI), including first offense violators.
