Please Stay Safe This Holiday Season

The holiday season should be filled with joy and laughter with family and friends. However, that fun is often filled with underage drinking, which can lead to tragedy. Every year there are families in Montana whose holiday seasons are filled with pain and heartache from the loss of a family member from underage drinking and driving.

A 2014 study conducted by the Department of Public Health and Human Services showed in the past 30 days in Valley County, 18 percent of high school sophomores drove a car after drinking, and 31 percent of seniors rode in a car with someone who had been drinking.

Underage drinking is also illegal. A person charged with Minor in Possession of Alcohol can face fines up to $900, perform up to 60 hours of community service and complete a chemical dependency class and/or have their driver’s license suspended up to one year. Ask yourself: Is a drink really worth all that money, freedom, or your life?

Make a promise to yourself and your families this holiday season: Don’t drink underage and NEVER drink and drive.

Happy Holidays from the Glasgow Police Department