Can Passengers Consume Alcohol In A RV In Massachusetts?
I just returned from a trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming with my son and some friends, a trip that involved a lot of driving in a RV. We rented from Cruise America and they were pretty cool.
It's a vacation of course and part of vacation includes drinking beer and having a good time. The cooler was full of Coors Light all ready for our destination. But...that destination is 8 hours away and passengers can get bored, especially after 5 p.m. if you know what I mean.
EVERYONE KNOWS THE DRIVER CANNOT CONSUME ALCOHOL, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PASSENGERS IN A RV? CAN THEY LEGALLY DRINK ALCOHOL ON A RV IN MASSACHUSETTS?
Well, in some states you can. Some states if your RV is over 21 feet long, passengers in the back can legally consume alcohol.
In Massachusetts; however, open container laws apply, according to cruiseamerica.com
An "open container" is defined as any bottle, can, or receptacle that has been opened, has a broken seal, or has had the contents partially removed or consumed. -dui.drivinglaws.org
So, yeah, passengers are not supposed to drink alcohol while the RV is in motion. I did have some beer as a passenger in the RV because I thought you could hence this post. Massachusetts does have some exceptions, though.
A passenger can lawfully possess an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle that's designed and used for transporting persons for compensation and in the living area of a house coach or house trailer. However, it's unlawful for the driver of such a vehicle to possess an open container of alcohol. -dui.drivinglaws.org