As a substance abuse counselor, I applaud Benton County for taking part in the nationwide crackdown on impaired driving. However, I feel compelled to debunk a widespread misconception that was unfortunately perpetuated in the D-H article of Aug. 22.

It is unfortunate that the program has been given the misleading title of "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest," but it accurately reflects what most people believe about the legal limit. Virtually all the clients I have ever dealt with have been under the impression that "legal limit" (in Oregon's case, .08) means "legally drunk" or "not OK to drive." Moreover, it is commonly believed that a driver cannot be issued a DUII if the blood alcohol content is less than 0.08. This is simply not so.

The only purpose of the legal limit is to determine at what point the impaired driver's license is automatically suspended. If a driver "blows" a 0.08 or above, the license is suspended at the time of the arrest. An impaired driver can blow less than a .08 and still receive a DUII; it just that he or she will not automatically lose driving privileges. And if the case goes to court, the judge can still opt to suspend the license.

Make no mistake: It is illegal to drive while impaired by anything, not just alcohol, and the point of impairment differs with each individual.

Lisa J. Aldrich, Albany