HELENA — December is Impaired Driving Prevention Month.
Montana has one of the highest fatality rates caused by impaired driving in the country.
Sgt. Chris Weiss of the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office shared with MTN why he believes this number is so high.
"We have a lot of counties that only have one or two officers for their entire counties, so to detect that is very hard to do and obviously with that many roads and square miles in this state a lot of people are driving and doing that," Weiss says. "It is something that we address to try to take part in to subtract."
The Montana Highway Patrol will increase its presence on Montana’s roads between December 11 and January 2025 to crack down on drunk and impaired drivers during the holidays.
The state says there has been an increase in fatalities and crashes on Montana roadways compared to last year.
Alcohol has been a factor in 36% of fatal crashes this year, while drugs were a factor in 13% of fatal crashes.
Weiss says these statistics will not disappear but can be reduced.
"If you choose to drink during the holidays we suggest that you do it to where there is going to be a sober driver for you, there are taxi cabs, Ubers, make preparations before you go out and drink," Weiss says.
