Two years ago when the Louisiana legislature passed a .08 blood alcohol standard for drunken driving, it set the date to begin enforcing the new standard to the latest possible date without losing federal highway funds. Now time is finally up and the new law goes into affect today, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2003.

Louisiana, like all states, faced the loss of $5 million a year in federal highway construction funds if the new standard was not in effect by today, so today is when police will begin enforcing the new lower standard, which is expected to save 17 to 50 lives a year in the state.

"The change ... will not affect how we enforce the law, but it will enhance what we are already doing to save lives on the highways of Louisiana," State Police Superintendent Col. Terry Landry told reporters.

"Safety is our goal," State Police Lt. William Davis said. "Our hope is we can take one or two more drunken drivers off the streets before they are involved in accidents or fatalities."

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