JoseCuervo
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Looks like somebody is trying to take all the fun out of Road Hunting.....
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Open container law may be statewide after next session
In a year, Montana may join the majority of states across the country in adopting an open container law as another move toward lowering its number of deaths related to drunken driving.
In more than five major addresses last year, Gov. Judy Martz said that she supports the open container law, and indicates she is confident it will pass at the next legislative session in January, 2005.
“I have worked hard to crack down on drunk driving. ... I can tell you plainly, that we will have an open container law next session,” according to an August, 2003, transcript, though Martz could not be reached for comment.
Currently, 36 states have adopted the law statewide, according to federal reports.
Montana isn’t one of them. However, the law exists in its major cities and two of its 56 counties – Ravalli and Deer Lodge, Ravalli County Attorney George Corn said in an earlier interview.
Others devoid of the statewide law are Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Speaking on behalf of the governor, Kris Goss, deputy communications director, said in the interim Martz plans to work with various grass-roots groups to make the open-container law a reality.
One group, Mothers Against Drunken Driving, that has various chapters in Montana, has tried to promote that law but was unsuccessful.
According to the organization’s Web site, states that enforce a federally compliant law against open containers in moving vehicles have 5 percent fewer alcohol-related fatalities on average. And that those states had “significantly fewer drunk driving fatalities than those without (41.8 percent of fatalities were alcohol-related in states without open container laws, compared with 37 percent in states with federally compliant laws).”
Studies also show a 5.1 percent decrease in fatal crash rates after states have enacted open container laws, according to the site.
“Stopping people from drinking alcohol while driving a car (or having easy access to do so) sends a message that we do not condone mixing alcohol with the critical task of driving,” states the site.
In comparing crash data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also concludes that, “states that lacked open container laws had significantly greater percentages of alcohol-involved fatal and single-vehicle crashes than the states with partially or fully-conforming laws,” according to a report.
Figures released by the federal organization last month show in 2002 Montana ranked highest in the nation in drunken driving fatalities.
They show that for every 100 million miles driven by motorists, Montana fared highest in the number of alcohol-related vehicle deaths at 1.22, just above South Carolina with 1.17, and South Dakota ranking third at 1.08.
Though state figures indicate a steady decline in the number of alcohol-related traffic collisions since the early 1980s, the Associated
Press reported its present number to be still double that of the national average, and 17 percent higher than in 2001.
And Montana lawmakers have taken those findings seriously.
Last year, the Legislature passed two bills aimed at making Montana highways safer against drunk drivers; one that strengthens DUI repeat offender penalties, another lowering the acceptable blood-alcohol level from .1 to .08. Lawmakers turned down a third that would prohibit open alcohol containers in moving vehicles.
Captain Mike Frellick, district commander for the Missoula area, said beefed-up measures have been successful so far in catching more drunken drivers, the “main objective.” But that, “the highway department of justice (does) support the open container law.”
The county also took actions last month by voting unanimously to sign a request to fund a three-year DUI task force. The plan, implemented in
Ravalli County in 1992, is adding new programs geared toward educating young people, dealing with merchants selling alcohol to minors and creating campaigns aimed at community awareness.
Many of its programs have been adopted by other counties and organizations, according to a policy statement
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Open container law may be statewide after next session
In a year, Montana may join the majority of states across the country in adopting an open container law as another move toward lowering its number of deaths related to drunken driving.
In more than five major addresses last year, Gov. Judy Martz said that she supports the open container law, and indicates she is confident it will pass at the next legislative session in January, 2005.
“I have worked hard to crack down on drunk driving. ... I can tell you plainly, that we will have an open container law next session,” according to an August, 2003, transcript, though Martz could not be reached for comment.
Currently, 36 states have adopted the law statewide, according to federal reports.
Montana isn’t one of them. However, the law exists in its major cities and two of its 56 counties – Ravalli and Deer Lodge, Ravalli County Attorney George Corn said in an earlier interview.
Others devoid of the statewide law are Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Speaking on behalf of the governor, Kris Goss, deputy communications director, said in the interim Martz plans to work with various grass-roots groups to make the open-container law a reality.
One group, Mothers Against Drunken Driving, that has various chapters in Montana, has tried to promote that law but was unsuccessful.
According to the organization’s Web site, states that enforce a federally compliant law against open containers in moving vehicles have 5 percent fewer alcohol-related fatalities on average. And that those states had “significantly fewer drunk driving fatalities than those without (41.8 percent of fatalities were alcohol-related in states without open container laws, compared with 37 percent in states with federally compliant laws).”
Studies also show a 5.1 percent decrease in fatal crash rates after states have enacted open container laws, according to the site.
“Stopping people from drinking alcohol while driving a car (or having easy access to do so) sends a message that we do not condone mixing alcohol with the critical task of driving,” states the site.
In comparing crash data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also concludes that, “states that lacked open container laws had significantly greater percentages of alcohol-involved fatal and single-vehicle crashes than the states with partially or fully-conforming laws,” according to a report.
Figures released by the federal organization last month show in 2002 Montana ranked highest in the nation in drunken driving fatalities.
They show that for every 100 million miles driven by motorists, Montana fared highest in the number of alcohol-related vehicle deaths at 1.22, just above South Carolina with 1.17, and South Dakota ranking third at 1.08.
Though state figures indicate a steady decline in the number of alcohol-related traffic collisions since the early 1980s, the Associated
Press reported its present number to be still double that of the national average, and 17 percent higher than in 2001.
And Montana lawmakers have taken those findings seriously.
Last year, the Legislature passed two bills aimed at making Montana highways safer against drunk drivers; one that strengthens DUI repeat offender penalties, another lowering the acceptable blood-alcohol level from .1 to .08. Lawmakers turned down a third that would prohibit open alcohol containers in moving vehicles.
Captain Mike Frellick, district commander for the Missoula area, said beefed-up measures have been successful so far in catching more drunken drivers, the “main objective.” But that, “the highway department of justice (does) support the open container law.”
The county also took actions last month by voting unanimously to sign a request to fund a three-year DUI task force. The plan, implemented in
Ravalli County in 1992, is adding new programs geared toward educating young people, dealing with merchants selling alcohol to minors and creating campaigns aimed at community awareness.
Many of its programs have been adopted by other counties and organizations, according to a policy statement
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
