Montana Troopers See Spike in Drunk & Drugged Driving Deaths

Montana Highway Patrol and other local law enforcement agencies are stepping up their enforcement efforts as we enter the "100 deadliest days of summer."

And while there has been a 14% drop in fatal crashes and a 21% decrease in traffic deaths so far this year, with a total of 47 deaths, there's been a sharp uptick in deaths caused by drunk and drugged driving.

     However, MHP Colonel Kurt Sager says it's hard to explain why DUI-related fatalities are up 33%.

"I think a little bit maybe has to do with the alcohol side of things anyway, is that the weather got nice earlier, so people are more likely to be out," Sager observed during an appearance on KGVO's "Talkback" this week. "People still drink and drive in the winter, but as the days get longer and the weather gets nicer, people tend to get out more and have a tendency to drink more, and then, sadly, make the decision to drive while impaired."

RELATED: Missoula Police Nab Suspect in Serious Crash

      Sager isn't sure why drug-related fatalities have taken such a jump this year, but calls the 133% increase "alarming."

Guns law changes in Glacier, other parks?

A new legal battle is brewing over where you can legally carry a firearm.

The Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the ban on guns inside National Park buildings in parks like Glacier and Yellowstone. While a 2009 law allows visitors to carry firearms in the outdoor areas of national parks, federal facilities like visitor centers, ranger stations, and park offices remain strictly off-limits.

Gun rights advocates argue the ban creates an unconstitutional trap, forcing law-abiding citizens to disarm just to pick up a camping permit or use a public restroom. They contend these public buildings lack the physical security, like metal detectors, that would traditionally define a "sensitive place."

For now, the ban remains fully in effect. If you are heading out to a national park, you must still disarm before stepping inside any federal building.

Big improvement coming for Billings Airport

We've already seen massive upgrades to many of Montana's major airports, like Bozeman, Glacier International in Kalispell, and Missoula, over the past few years.

Now, as Traci Taylor reports, it's Billings' turn.