Law enforcement prepared for St. Patty’s

| March 10, 2020 2:24 PM

Increased law enforcement will be on alert to deter and detect impaired drivers on and around the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

The Montana Highway Patrol will be patrolling along with local law enforcement for impaired drivers. No matter how short or far the distance, do not risk travel to and from your festivities impaired. Before you celebrate, have a responsible plan for how you will get home.

“St. Patrick’s Day should be a happy time for everyone,” said Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial. “No one wants to end the holiday in jail or injured. So, when you are celebrating, remember you don’t want to be a risk to yourself, your friends and family, or other drivers on the road.”

Alcohol is a common part of many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but that doesn’t mean people can ignore the risks of driving while impaired, Dial notes.

If you get caught driving with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.8 or higher, the consequences include a DUI, having your license revoked, mandatory classes, possible jail time, and up to $10,000 in fines.

“It doesn’t take a lot of effort to make a plan to avoid impaired driving,” Dial said. “You can call an Uber, designate a sober driver, ask someone to call you a ride, crash on a friend’s couch — you have lots of options, as long as you do not drive impaired.”

While Montana has been making progress in reducing the number of alcohol impaired driving fatalities, the data in 2018 and 2019 indicate an increase in these types of crashes. State and local law enforcement are committed to reducing the number of alcohol-related driving fatalities in 2020 and will be out enforcing state highway traffic safety laws.

This is a Vision Zero Message from the Montana Department of Transportation. This and other enforcement and educational campaigns are strategies to reach Vision Zero — zero deaths and zero serious injuries on Montana roadways. For more information about Vision Zero, contact Janet Kenny, Montana Department of Transportation, (406) 444- 7417, jakenny@mt.gov