I’ve written a few posts about the weak drunk driving laws in Montana.  If you are going to get caught driving drunk, Montana seems to be the place to be, and that is sad.

So, congratulations to Billings, Montana!  According to a story on KFBB-TV in Great Falls:

The March issue of Men’s Health Magazine has named Billings as the 3rd drunkest city in the United States.  And new research shows it is not just Billings that has a drinking problem, it is the entire state.

The major reason we have weak drunk driving laws is because our elected legislators are doing nothing.  Excuse me, they aren’t exactly doing nothing because they are spending money to study it and hold “interim” meetings.

They may be trying to do something about it – but some of the “fiscally conservative” folks don’t want to spend any money.

Recently, Montana’s Supreme Court Chief Justice, Mike McGrath, had an idea that the Associated Press reported would “use alcohol tax money for prevention and treatment efforts…”

This would be accomplished through a ballot initiative.  I’ve never been a fan of McGrath, but I have to give him a fist bump for having an idea.

Here’s another idea:  How about increasing the fines for first and second time offenders times five or ten?  That would put a little money in the state’s coffers.

Yes, the ballot initiative would take money from other programs, which will anger some folks, but I think it is worth it.

If they really are looking for money, maybe they should read this study done by the University of Montana:

Previous estimates that the economic cost of alcohol abuse is $511 million per year do not include costs from alcohol-related crashes with injuries.  By adding the economic cost of these injury crashes, the total impact of alcohol abuse in Montana increases by $131 million, bringing the annual cost of alcohol abuse in Montana to $642 million, according to a University of Montana economist.

Take that Montana legislators.  $642 million.  There appears to be some money that can be saved by making it tougher for those who drive drunk in Montana.