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Technical Documentation Page
Executive Summary
Background
Purpose of Section 154
Open Container Law Incentives
Open Container Law Conformance Criteria
Status of Conformance: October 2000
Evaluation of the Effects of Open Container
Laws
Public Opinion Concerning Open Container
Laws
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References
Appendix A: Data Tables
Table 1: Summary of Previous Open Container Laws In the First Four
States to Enact Laws to Conform with TEA-21 Requirements
Figure 1: Percent of All Fatal Crashes That Were Alcohol-Involved:
Six-Month Period After Enforcement Began Compared to the Same Period in
the Previous Year
Figure 2: Nighttime Hit-and-Run Crashes: Six-Month Period After
Enforcement Began Compared to the Same Period in the Previous Year
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.
Figure
3
Percent of All Fatal Crashes That Were Alcohol Involved: 1999
 d
Figure 3 shows that states without laws prohibiting the
possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in a motor vehicle have
higher proportions of alcohol-involved fatal crashes than states with
either partially-conforming or fully-conforming laws. The differences
illustrated in the figure amount to ten percent more alcohol-involved
fatal crashes in states without Open Container laws, compared to states
with either partially or fully-conforming laws. The differences between
the No Law states and the other states, combined, are statistically significant
(z test at 0.05). The figure also shows that states that became fully-conforming
in response to the TEA-21 Restoration Act (i.e., between July 22, 1998
and October 1, 2000) experienced alcohol involvement rates in fatal crashes
in 1999 that were comparable to the states that had fully-conforming laws
in effect prior to July 22, 1998. The results of the analysis illustrated
in Figure 3 are consistent with the expectation that conformity to the
Federal requirements has an effect on the incidence of alcohol-involved
crashes.
Of course, focusing exclusively on the presence or absence
of Open Container laws does not permit a complete understanding of the
many issues that contribute to drinking while driving. In particular,
many of the states that lacked fully-conforming Open Container laws in
1999 had laws that contained many elements of a law that met the Federal
requirements. In addition, some cities and counties in states that lack
Open Container laws have their own regulations prohibiting open containers,
which contribute to public perceptions that open containers of alcoholic
beverages are prohibited on all roads and highways in the state, despite
the absence of state Open Container laws. Other factors that may contribute
include other state laws currently in effect and the level of enforcement
and publicity dedicated to state and local laws.
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