It is illegal to possess an open container of an alcoholic beverage in a passenger area of a motor vehicle located on a public highway when the vehicle is being:

• A. All of the above
• B. Operated
• C. Parked
• D. Stopped

Answer: (A)

Open container laws are about keeping an open alcoholic beverage out of the passenger area of a vehicle that’s on a public road. The rule applies whether the vehicle is being driven, parked, or simply stopped on the highway, because the vehicle is still on a public roadway and the container is accessible to occupants. So the illegal situation can occur in any of those states, which is why “all of the above” is the best answer. If the container were stored outside the passenger area or the vehicle weren’t on a public road, the rule wouldn’t apply in the same way.