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Open Container Laws And
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DOT HS 809 426 |
Some Preliminary Data |
April 2002 |
Technical Documentation Page
Public Opinion Concerning Open Container
Laws Figure 3: Percent of All Fatal Crashes That Were Alcohol-Involved Figure 4: Percent of Residents Who Believe Their States Should Have An Open Container Law |
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This report presents the results of a study conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to assess the highway safety effects of laws that prohibit open containers of alcoholic beverages to be located in the passenger compartment of motor vehicles operated on public roadways. These laws are commonly referred to as Open Container laws. Open Container Law IncentivesAccording to Section 154, if a state does not meet the statutory requirements by October 1, 2000 or October 1, 2001, an amount equal to one and one-half percent of the funds apportioned to the state on those dates under each of Sections 104(b)(1), (3) and (4) of title 23 of the United States Code will be transferred to the state's apportionment under Section 402 of that title to be used for alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures or enforcement, hazard elimination, or related administration and planning.3 If a state does not meet the statutory requirements by October 1, 2002, an amount equal to three percent of the funds apportioned to the state on that date under Sections 104(b)(1), (3) and (4) will be transferred. An amount equal to three percent will continue to be transferred on October 1 of each subsequent fiscal year, if the state does not meet the requirements on those dates.4 |