New numbers released by the U.S. Department of Transportation show fatal drunk driving crashes were down nationwide in 2018 -- but the Montana numbers show a different trend.
The data collected annually by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows Montana had 57 DUI fatalities in 2017 but jumped to 79 in 2018 -- an increase of more than 38%.
The numbers put Montana at the second highest increase in DUI-fatalities in the nation behind New Hampshire.
Overall fatal crash numbers in the state have actually decreased by a little more than 2%.
