Tennessee could BAN the sale of chilled beer at gas stations and stores – in a new effort to crack down on drunk driving (but hot brews would be fine!)

Tennessee could ban the sale of refrigerated beer at all stores, including gas stations and convenience stores, in an effort to curb drunk driving.

Republican lawmakers are proposing the ban in the Senate, saying it would help reduce the number of car accidents in the state — a third of which involve alcohol.

Sen. Ron Gant introduced the bill after being involved in an “extremely tragic” car accident involving alcohol in 2022, in which a drunk driver was killed after crossing a lane and crashing into his vehicle.

Tennessee has one of the highest rates of deaths from car accidents in the entire country, with 1,330 fatalities on its roads in 2022.

Indiana previously introduced restrictions on the sale of chilled beer in some of its stores, excluding liquor stores, while many states have imposed other alcohol restrictions – such as only allowing its sale in specific stores.

Rep. Gant said State affairs: ‘Right now we’re making it so easy for alcohol to be available, not only to adults but also to minors.

“The intent here is to limit access to cold, chilled alcohol in convenience stores and retail stores.”

He added: ‘Often, especially in the afternoon, people get off work, they’ve had a long, hard day (and) they want a beer.

“A lot of people (then) go in and get a six-pack or a 12-pack and start drinking it on the way home.

“The first question to ask is: If we know we can’t drive under the influence and we know that’s the law in Tennessee – and if a driver can’t have an open container in the car – why does that have to happen? be cold?

“Why can’t you sell lukewarm products to discourage drivers from grabbing that cold beer and drinking it on the way home?”

Gant was involved in a fatal traffic accident in October 2022, when a vehicle crossed a lane and struck his car.

He was flown to a hospital in Memphis for multiple surgeries and a lengthy stay in intensive care — and can now walk only with the help of a cane.

Motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of death among people ages 1 to 54 in the United States – with approximately 117 cases recorded per day.

About a third are DUIs (or drunk driving) when alcohol is involved in the accident.

Deaths from car accidents are increasing in the US, with approximately 42,000 Americans now losing their lives in accidents each year – a 16 percent increase from five years ago. About a third of these involve alcohol.

Mississippi has the highest rate (34 fatalities per 100,000 vehicles) of car crash deaths, followed by New Mexico (26), South Carolina (24) and Louisiana (23).

The bill – called SB2636 – was introduced by Republicans on January 31 and has already passed two readings in the Senate.

It has now been referred to a committee, but will still require a vote in the Senate. A similar bill has also been introduced in the State House.

The bill also must be signed by Republican Governor Bill Lee before it can become law.

It is unclear how long it will take for the bill to become law, but it could easily be more than a year.

Some lawmakers have already expressed support for the bill, including Republican William Lambeth, saying, “It’s been less than two years since (Gant) was almost killed by a drunk driver.

“The man still uses a cane to stagger through the halls of the legislature here to serve his constituents.”

He added: “For God’s sake, don’t drink or drive. Don’t drink that cold beer you bought while buying gas.”

However, several beer makers in the state have raised concerns about the law, saying it could hurt sales.

Andy Ashby, co-owner of Memphis Made Brewing, said: “This would be very damaging to our brewery and the beer industry in general.

‘There is a saying in beer sales: Cold is gold.

“(This) would have a huge impact, huge. Package sales are about 40 to 50 percent of our revenue, and 90 percent of that is cold.”