Montana Drunk Driving Laws Worst in the Nation: MADD
Montana's drunk driving enforcement rates as the worst in the nation, while five other states have the most robust enforcement in the nation, according to a report from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
by Staff
February 8, 2018
Photo via Pixabay.
2 min to read
Photo via Pixabay.
Montana's drunk driving enforcement rates as the worst in the nation, while five other states have the most robust enforcement in the nation, according to a report from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
The Jan. 24 report rated every state's drunk driving enforcement using a scale of one to five stars. Montana earned just a half-star, and five additional lowest-ranking states — Idaho, Iowa, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Wyoming — scored 1.5 stars.
Ad Loading...
While no state earned a perfect score, five top-ranking states received 4.5 stars. These included Arizona, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, and West Virginia.
The report rates state enforcement of drunk driving in five categories:
Conducting sobriety checkpoints
Ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders with a .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and above
Administratively revoking driving privileges upon arrest for drunk driving
Creating enhanced penalties for those who drive drunk with children in the vehicle
Adopting penalties and expediting warrants for suspected drunk drivers who refuse an alcohol test.
Some noteworthy data in the report includes:
30 states and the District of Columbia require ignition interlocks after the first offense.
37 states and the District of Columbia conduct sobriety checkpoints — with 32 and the District of Columbia conducting them at least once a month.
41 states and the District of Columbia immediately revoke driving privileges while the offender awaits trial.
47 states and the District of Columbia have additional penalties for driving drunk with a child passenger, but only 7 states treat this crime as a felony.
Ad Loading...
The new report, which also highlights drunk driving countermeasures, is part of MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. Launched in 2006, the campaign has helped to reduce drunk driving deaths by 23.5%, according to Colleen Sheehey-Church, national president of MADD.
Over 10,000 people still lose their lives every year to drunk driving. After years of steady decline, drunk driving deaths increased in 2015 and 2016.
To motivate states to strengthen their drunk driving laws, MADD’s rating system allows for half-star ratings for states that need to improve their existing laws. For example, the states that conduct sobriety checkpoints receive a half star, but those that conduct them at least once a month receive a full star.
Over the past year, MADD’s campaign efforts have helped pass and strengthen ignition interlock laws in Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Oregon. The organization also successfully curbed attempts to weaken current interlock laws in Arkansas, Texas, Wyoming, Kansas, Virginia, Georgia, and Connecticut.
Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.
As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.
Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.
Fleets have more driver data than ever, so why isn't behavior changing? Training requires more than reports and coaching — it requires real-world practice.
A two-part conversation with Stefan Heck on how AI is transforming the fight against distracted driving. As fleets adopt smarter tools, the focus shifts from reacting to preventing risk. In Part 1, we look at where AI is making an impact for fleets today.
An 11% drop in pedestrian fatalities in early 2025 signals progress in U.S. road safety, but elevated death rates and ongoing risks underscore the need for continued action from fleets and policymakers.