Open container law diverts millions from Missouri roads

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A news report says Missouri’s decision to allow open containers of alcohol in vehicles is diverting millions of dollars from road construction to safety programs.

KCUR-FM says an investigation found that Missouri has given up roughly $370 million in highway construction funds since 2001 for failing to comply with federal safety policies.

Missouri lets passengers drink in moving vehicles, which violates federal safety laws and forces the state to divert a percentage of road construction funds from federal programs to fund safety initiatives.

The diverted money goes to to infrastructure improvements like guard cables and behavioral campaigns like DWI enforcements.