Although holidays are a peak time for drinking and driving, standardized field sobriety coordinator for the Montana Highway Patrol, Kurt Sager reports that only one individual was killed during New Year's Eve and that it is still uncertain whether alcohol was involved.

The fatality rate on New Year's Eve has been similarly low over the past five years, fluctuating between zero fatalaties to one. Sager says that increased awareness of the dangers of intoxicated driving during these peak times is likely one of the reasons why the fatality rate does not spike. Also, Sager points out that the increased number of officers issuing DUIs helps to create a deterrent.

However, Montana's relatively high DUI fatality rate is a problem that effects the state all year round. Sager says the real problem is the consistency with which these tragedies happen on a day to day basis, rather than an occasional problem around the holidays.

It is still uncertain just how many total DUI's were issued in Montana during the New Year's holiday

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