Montana drinking and driving culture at crossroads

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Montana drinking and driving culture at crossroads
updated 1 hour 5 minutes ago

HELENA, Mont. — Montana has long had a reputation as a place where you could crack open a beer while driving down the interstate just about as fast as you liked.

Until 2005, when the state came under heavy duress from the federal government, it was legal to drink and drive in many places. And a few years before that there wasn't even a speed limit on major highways and in rural areas.

But spurred by the high-profile death of a highway patrolman at the hands of an intoxicated driver, Montana's Old West drinking and driving culture is retreating. Judges are rejecting lenient plea deals and law enforcement leaders are exploring different ways of keeping track of repeat offenders.

Even the Legislature, which just a few years ago struggled mightily to ban open containers of booze in cars, is beginning to promise tough new laws. This comes after years of virtually ignoring the state's ranking at or near the top of per capita drunken driving deaths.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38930271/ns/us_news/

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http://www.munising.com.nyud.net:8090/Snow/graphics/drunk-driving.jpg

[onehandle]

1. More government intrusion into our Constitutionally protected rights.

Prohibition was repealed.

I'll give you my beer when you take it from my cold, dead hands!

[Kolesar]

2. Who really needs to do this?

Immature children of oil executives??

[indepat]

3. My 22-year-old granddaughter graduated from Montana State in January: the number of horrific

drinking-related accidents that have touched her in just five years is truly mind-boggling. :cry:

[JNelson6563]

4. They've got even bigger problems in Montana

If you go to the doctor, any doctor, and you get pain meds, 10 to 1 says you get oxy. They prescribe it like candy out there and I can't believe how many hard core addicts there are!

Julie

[tinymontgomery]

5. The way I read this

it took killing of a police officer to get their attention. I guess the public was disposable.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. +1