Drink OR Drive This Holiday Season

The holiday season in Bozeman is filled with parties, events and family gatherings. Make your plans to have a designated driver BEFORE heading out. It could save your life or the life of someone else.

According to the Gallatin Sheriff's Office:

Remember, even if you only have a little bit to drink and think you’re “okay to drive,” you could still be over the legal limit, because Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin explained the slogan: “A lot of folks think they know their own limits. They think that if they’re just a little ‘buzzed,’ then they’re still good to drive.” But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Captain Steve Crawford of the Bozeman Police Department added, “Not only does alcohol impair your ability to drive, it impairs your ability to assess whether you are able to drive.  Designate a sober driver before you drink.”

In every state in the country, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. And for some people, it doesn’t take much to reach that level. “We really want all drivers to understand that you don’t have to be falling-down drunk to be too impaired to drive,” said Sergeant Dustin Lensing of the Belgrade Police Department.

That’s why our local law enforcement agencies are working with NHTSA to spread the message: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.