Did You Know It’s Legal to Drink and Drive in This Southern State?

I was looking over a media prep sheet this morning before we started our radio show and was completely stunned to read that there is actually one state in the United States that allows drivers to drink a beer while they cruise down the road.

It seems totally crazy, but it's true.

You can legally drink and drive in Mississippi.

You're permitted to drive while drinking an adult beverage in Mississippi as long as you are below the legal blood alcohol limit for intoxication, which is .08 for adults, .04 for commercial drivers, and .02 for minors under the age of 21.

Isn't that wild?

It seems like it could be a slippery slope to crack open only one or two beers on the road when you might have an entire case hanging out in the cooler of your backseat. I think I'd be tempted to overindulge. It kind of makes me wonder if this leniency opens the door for more drunk drivers on the road in Mississippi.

At the very least, it normalizes driving with a brew, which isn't normal at all where I come from.

If you're as stunned as I am, I'd love to hear from you. Please be sure to leave a comment below this article, wherever you find it. And, if you're from Mississippi, tell me what it's like to have that privilege. I can see the upsides, too. It might be nice to pop open a beer on your way home from work without the fear of getting in trouble with the law.