Gonzales, La. ? Each day, workers leaving chemical plants and oil refineries jam the combination gasoline stations and convenience stores at this exit of Interstate 10.

Most aren’t looking for gasoline — they’re headed straight to the tubs of beer, rum and vodka drinks sticking up from beds of ice.

“Everybody’s too hot and thirsty to wait until they get home for a cold beer,” said Chuck Johnson, 34, who stopped with a friend to stock up for the drive home. “I get two for the road. I’ve been doing it for years and I’m not about to stop.”

Although drivers are forbidden to have open containers of alcohol, Louisiana is one of 13 states where passengers are allowed to drink. Police say that allows drinking drivers to simply hand off a drink to someone else in the car to avoid a ticket.

State legislators hope that changes in August, when a new law takes effect banning passengers, too, from drinking. But police expect the new law to be broken regularly in this land of drive-through daiquiri shops, go cups and all-night bars.

“In Louisiana we drink to celebrate births and drink to mourn deaths. We drink early and we drink late. We drink all day long for any reason. And an awful lot of people keep drinking in a car,” said Ronnie Jones, a former state trooper who now teaches criminal law at Tulane.

According to figures compiled by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 48 percent of the 938 fatal accidents in Louisiana in 2000 (454) were alcohol related. Only six states had higher percentages, and all of them except Texas had fewer total accidents.

“We’re always right up there on top,” said Cathy Childers, Louisiana executive director of MADD. “It’s so sad to drive up to a light and see people in the next car drinking alcohol. Maybe it will be one small step toward raising children who don’t grow up thinking it’s all right to drink and drive.”

The law allows a number of exceptions: Passengers in licensed limousines or taxis are exempted. A provision exempting people in parked cars ensures the legality of tailgate parties.

Those caught in violation will be fined $100, but catching scofflaws will be difficult, said Lt. William Davis of the state police.

The federal government places restrictions on highway funding for states that don’t ban all open containers in cars. In the past, the proposal has been opposed by state convenience stores and alcohol lobbies. This year, they did not put up a fight.