Law agencies crack down on DUIs for Fourth of July holiday

by The Daily Inter Lake
| June 28, 2014 9:00 PM

Kalispell police are joining the Montana Highway Patrol and other law enforcement officers around the state who will be out in force over the long Fourth of July holiday weekend to aggressively target drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

“Flathead County has more than its share of alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths,” Police Chief Roger Nasset said in a news release.

“Our officers are determined to find and apprehend impaired drivers before they hurt themselves or somebody else. The deaths of three MHP troopers in our area caused by drunk drivers has made us very sensitive to the need to get these offenders behind bars.”

In the last 10 years, 61 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in Montana occurred in the six months between May and October. In Flathead County, 11.6 percent of crashes involved alcohol or drugs in 2011 and these resulted in five deaths.

“We hope everyone enjoys the holiday celebrating our nation’s independence,” Nasset said. “But consider your responsibility for the safety of your family and friends and everyone else on the road. You can be part of the effort to save lives on Montana roads.”

The Kalispell Police Department offers these tips for a safe and responsible holiday:

Make sure there are alternatives to alcoholic beverages.
Don’t mix drinking with long hours in the sun.
Have a plan for people to get home safely.
Promote safe and sober driving among young adults and prevent alcohol use by minors.
When you see an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Leave your phone alone — be safe, it can wait.
Buckle up everyone, every time — it is your responsibility to see everyone arrives safe.

Overtime patrols for traffic safety enforcement are funded by the Montana Department of Transportation.

High-visibility enforcement is one of the overall strategies employed in Montana’s Vision Zero, a multipronged initiative with the ultimate goal of eliminating deaths and injuries on Montana highways.

In Montana, DUI prevention and getting impaired drivers off the roads is critical to saving lives. Go to plan2live.mt.gov for more information.