People asked to plan for a sober ride for Independence Day

Law enforcement officials are asking people to plan ahead and be careful as they celebrate Independence Day over the weekend and on Tuesday’s July Fourth holiday.

“If you’re celebrating this weekend or on the Fourth, be sure to make a plan for a safe ride home,” Havre Police Capt. Ryan Pearson said in a press release. “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 cab or call a friend or family member. If you see your friends or family have had too much to drink, look out for your community’s safety and make sure they have a safe ride home, too.”

Havre Police Department and Montana Highway Patrol, as the holiday approaches, are encouraging people to plan for a sober ride home before they celebrate, the release said, adding that, to try to ensure people get home safely, patrols will be increased around the state and law enforcement will be making driving under the influence arrests.

The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays in Montana from traffic fatalities, the release said. It added that Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Department of Transportation are committed to reducing fatalities and serious injuries on Montana’s roadways.

Montana law states that if a driver has 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 and receiving possible jail time and as much as $10,000 in fines.

The release notes that:

• Montana has the highest fatality rate in the nation for the number of deaths caused by impaired driver per vehicle mile traveled;

• The state has the highest share of alcohol-related deaths at 45 percent in 2021 statistics

• in 2021, 63 percent of all traffic fatalities in Montana were the result of impaired driving, and

• from 2012-2021, 1,268 people were killed in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

“By making a plan before you go out, you’ll help keep our roads safer for everyone and protect your community,” Pearson said in the release. “Make sure you celebrate responsibly as you gather with friends and family on the Fourth. Together, we can keep our community safe.