State increases DUI fines, enforcement
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News from the Montana Department of Transportation
Soon Montana’s lakes, parks and city streets will be full of people celebrating Independence Day. To prevent those celebrations from ending in disaster and death on Montana roadways, the Montana Department of Transportation is working with law enforcement agencies and DUI Task Forces throughout the state to increase enforcement and stop impaired driving. The effort is part of MDT’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate death and serious injury on Montana roads.
In the decade from 2004 to 2013 on Montana roads, over a thousand people died in vehicular crashes involving an impaired driver — 46 percent of all crash fatalities that occurred statewide. In 2014, 192 people lost their lives in vehicle crashes on our roadways, and the top contributing circumstances in those fatal crashes was the presence of alcohol or drugs. Last year in July, 27 people died in vehicular crashes — making July the deadliest month on Montana’s roadways.
“We’ll all be working together over the holiday to make sure that Montanans can celebrate a fun, safe Fourth of July,” said MDT Director Mike Tooley. “It will take the effort of law enforcement, our local DUI Task Forces, emergency responders and every individual to make sure that impaired drivers stay off the road, that everyone buckles up and drives safely and that lives are saved.”
The Montana Highway Patrol, county sheriff’s offices and city police departments throughout the state are heightening patrols through the Fourth of July weekend. In addition, the Highway Patrol’s Safety Enforcement Traffic Team will be out enforcing Montana’s impaired driving, seat belt, speed limit and other traffic laws. In 2014, the SETT team issued 448 DUIs during increased patrol periods.
This is the first summer that the state’s increased DUI fines are also in effect. The new law doubles statutory minimum fines for DUIs to a minimum fine of $600 for a first offense, $1,200 for a second offense and $2,500 for a third offense. In addition, the law automatically doubles minimum fines if a child under age 16 is in the vehicle at the time of the arrest.* Offenders who refuse a breath test at the time they are pulled over will also be fined an additional $300 administrative fee.
“While we prepare to increase our presence through education and enforcement, we urge all Montanans to also plan a safe Fourth of July and holiday week,” Tooley said. “Designate a sober driver, arrange to be picked up by a friend or family member or call a cab. And stop friends and family members from getting behind the wheel intoxicated.”
MDT reminds Montanans that any alcohol consumed can impair driving. Montana’s blood alcohol content legal limit is .08 — the level at which drivers will be charged with a DUI; however, for those 21 or under an alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or greater while operating a vehicle can result in mandatory suspension of their driver’s licenses.
