GFPD Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 6/30/2023
June 30, 2023
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
GREAT FALLS, Montana – The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays for Montana’s roadways. As Independence Day celebrations kick off, Great Falls Police Department (GFPD) and the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) are encouraging drivers to plan a sober ride home before they celebrate.
State law is that if drivers have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher, they could receive a DUI charge and other serious consequences, including having their driver’s license revoked, being required to take mandatory classes, receiving jail time, and up to $10,000 in fines and legal fees.
“If you’re celebrating this weekend or on the Fourth, be sure to make a plan for a safe ride home,” said Captain John Schaffer of the Great Falls Police Department. “The important thing to know is how you will get home before you go out. Designate one of your friends as a sober driver, arrange for a rideshare service, cab, or public transportation, or call a friend or family member. If you see your friends or family have had too much to drink, look out for our community’s safety and make sure they have a sober ride home, too.”
Why is law enforcement on high alert during the holiday weekend? These are Montana’s sobering statistics:
- Montana has the highest fatality rate in the US for number of deaths caused by impaired drivers, per vehicle mile traveled
- Montana has the highest share of alcohol-related traffic deaths at 45% (2021)
- 63% of all traffic fatalities in Montana are the result of impaired driving (2021)
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER: Doug Mahlum, LT 406-455-8522
