Kalispell Police Department Press Release: Vision ZeroAimee Brunckhorst
From: DawnD Kjensrud, Kalispell Police Department <listserv@civicplus.com>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 1:58 PM
To: Aimee Brunckhorst
Subject: EXTERNAL Kalispell Police Department Press Release: Vision Zero
KALISPELL POLICE DEPARTMENT: VISION ZERO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lieutenant Will Appel
Phone: 406-758-7789
Date: March 14th, 2025
*Montanans: Celebrate St. Patrick's Day responsibly by planning for a sober ride home
*Montana law enforcement increasing patrols in Kalispell/Flathead County for St. Patrick's Day
*Montana law enforcement are increasing patrols and presence during St. Patrick's Day.
Because the holiday falls on a Sunday, law enforcement expects increased participation,
celebration, and alcohol consumption throughout the weekend.
To ensure the safety of communities across Montana, law enforcement encourages residents
to plan for a sober ride home before they start drinking and celebrating St. Patrick's Day.
March 17th, 2024, Kalispell Police Department law enforcement and the Montana Highway
Patrol (MHP) are encouraging Montanans to plan for a sober ride home before celebrating St.
Patrick's Day. Celebrations and festivities at bars and restaurants are common for St. Patrick's
Day, and celebrations may happen during the days leading up to St. Patrick's Day. Law
enforcement partners across the state will be increasing patrols and making DUI arrests to help
all Montanans get home safely. Under the Vision Zero goal, Kalispell and Flathead County law
enforcement, MHP, and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) are committed to
reducing fatalities and serious injuries on Montana's roadways during St. Patrick's Day
celebrations.
Montana law ensures that if drivers have a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .08 or higher could
be arrested and face a DUI charge and other serious consequences. This can include having
their driver's license revoked, being required to take mandatory classes, and receiving possible
jail time and up to $10,000 in fines and legal fees.
"Montanans take St. Patrick's Day seriously," said Lieutenant Appel of the Kalispell Police. "But
we all need to take the safety of our community seriously, too. Before you even start drinking
1
or head out for a celebration, make and commit to a plan. Choose one of your friends or
family members as a sober driver and arrange for them to give you a ride home. If you see your
friends have been drinking, have their back and help them get home safely, too. We're in this
together."
Why is Montana law enforcement increasing patrols during St. Patrick's Day? These are
Montana's sobering statistics:
Montana has one of the highest fatality rates in the nation for the number of deaths caused by
alcohol -impaired drivers per vehicle mile traveled.
In Montana, 66% of all fatalities in 2020 involved an impaired driver (up from 58% in 2019).
"Please celebrate responsibly during St. Patrick's Day. Have fun and don't drive impaired," said
MHP Colonel Steve Lavin. "We'll be increasing patrols during St. Patrick's Day weekend to make
sure Montanans get home safe. Do your part and plan ahead or call for a sober ride home if
you've been drinking. Together, we can keep our community safe."
Montana Department of Transportation -Vision Zero This is a Vision Zero message from the
Montana Department of Transportation. This and other enforcement and educational
campaigns are strategies to reach Vision Zero; zero deaths and zero serious injuries on
Montana roadways. For more information about Vision Zero, contact Tammy Ross, Montana
Department of Transportation, 406-444-9192 or tross@mt.gov.
Alternative accessible formats of this document are provided on request. If you need an
alternative format, contact the Office of Civil Rights, Montana Department of Transportation,
2701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620. Telephone 406-444-5416 or
Montana Relay Service at 711.
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