Problem 124 - College Algebra Essentials

Question

In many states, a \(17 \%\) risk of a car accident with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 is the lowest level for charging a motorist with driving under the influence. Do you agree with the \(17 \%\) risk as a cutoff percentage, or do you feel that the percentage should be lower or higher? Explain your answer. What blood alcohol concentration corresponds to what you believe is an appropriate percentage?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

I believe that the 17% risk is too high, indicating a high chance of accident which could lead to mortal injuries or death. Therefore, this percentage should be lowered to around a 5% risk for instance. Following the reasoning used to formulate this answer, it would mean that the blood alcohol concentration should be reduced proportionally, so it'd be around 0.024 level. However, this is a subjective opinion and the real acceptable risk would depend on laws, medical advice, and societal norms.

Step 1: Analyze the given figures

Consider the given figures: a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 is associated with a 17% risk of a car accident.

Step 2: Understand Risk Percentages

Understand that a 17% risk means out of 100 similar cases, approximately 17 would lead to an accident. This is a relatively high risk.

Step 3: Formulate Your Stand

Decide whether you think this risk is too high, too low, or just right. This depends on your personal feeling about how much risk is too much when it comes to dangerous behaviours like drinking and driving.

Step 4: Correlate to Blood Alcohol Concentration

Based on your decided risk percentage, try to correlate it to a blood alcohol concentration. This involves reasoning based on the given data. Reduce or increase the Blood Alcohol Concentration from 0.08 following your own opinion