Ban alcohol from backseat

Last week a bill that would bring Indiana's open-container law into compliance with federal guidelines was endorsed by the Indiana Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee. \nCurrently, Indiana's open-container law makes it a Class B Infraction for a driver to operate a vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.04% or higher but allows in the backseat compartment any container of alcohol that has been opened, has a broken seal, or has had some of the contents removed. \nThe Committee's proposed bill, which will now move to the state Senate for full consideration, would make it illegal to have any open containers of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a car. We urge the Indiana legislature to pass the proposed bill.\nAt least 38 communities throughout the state, including Bloomington, Monroe County, Indianapolis, South Bend and West Lafayette have local open-container ordinances, most of which have provisions similar to those in the proposed bill. \nWhile we commend those communities, there is a pressing need for a statewide law. Indiana currently loses federal highway money because its open-container law does not comport with federal guidelines. According to federal law, every year a state does not comply with the federal guidelines, it must transfer three percent of its federal highway money to alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures or enforcement, hazard elimination or related administration and planning. \nOver the past three years, Indiana has been forced to transfer $27 million in federal highway money to such programs. Furthermore, according to the Legislative Services Agency, because of the bureaucracy involved with those transfers, the state has lost $1.6 million over the last two years and might lose $3.5 million this year.\nClearly this loss of federal highway money is unnecessary and avoidable. Nearly two-thirds of the states have open-container laws that comply with federal guidelines, including every state bordering Indiana. \nEven though there are undoubtedly those citizens out there who will be upset that they won't be able to drink alcohol in a friend's car, we feel that the positives of the proposed bill far outweigh the negatives, especially when considering safety. Drinking and driving is obviously a societal concern, and simple logic tells us that it is much easier for a driver to drink alcohol when there is an open container in the car, rather than in the trunk. Studies used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirm that there is a positive relationship between DUI/DWI arrests and the presence of open containers inside the vehicle.\nEssentially, we feel that Indiana should step into the late 20th century and conform its open-container law with the federal guidelines. It's an easy law to obey, and the increased highway funds and increased safety will benefit everyone in the state.\n-- rew LeMar for the Editorial Board