Under implied consent, getting a license and driving on public roads count as advance agreement to chemical testing, such as a breath test, when you are arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Refusing the test usually brings its own penalties, including loss of your license.
Under Montana law, a driver who moves has 10 days to give the DMV the new address. Keeping the address current lets you receive license notices, and failing to report a move can bring a fine.
Montana suspends the license of a first-time DUI offender for no less than six months. A judge may add fines, time in jail and an ignition interlock, and every repeat conviction means a far longer wait to drive again.
One standard drink equals either 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits; each holds about the same amount of alcohol. Choosing beer or wine over liquor does not make you any less impaired.
When you damage an unattended vehicle and its owner is nowhere to be found, leave a note in a visible, secure spot with your contact information; many states also require you to report the crash to the police. Driving off without doing this counts as hit-and-run, but you are not expected to wait for the owner indefinitely.
Alcohol makes it hard to hold a lane, judge speed, and react smoothly, so impaired drivers often weave, drive unusually slowly, and brake or stop without warning. If you notice these signs, keep well back and report the driver to police when it is safe.
Montana gives people who become residents 60 days to get their vehicles registered in the state. Driving on the previous state's plates once that period has passed breaks the law.
Montana examiners will not start a road test in a vehicle that is unsafe, is missing seat belts, or has equipment keeping the examiner from the brake pedal. Each of these problems alone is enough to stop the test before it begins.
Drivers under 21 are held to a zero-tolerance rule: a reading of 0.02% or more brings penalties such as license suspension, far below the 0.08% adult limit. Even a single drink can bring a young driver close to that level, so the only safe plan is not to drink before driving.
For its first 12 months, a Montana restricted license cannot be used without supervision from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. Emergencies, farm work, and trips to or from school, church or a job are the exceptions.
The required minimum for bodily injury liability is $25,000 when a single person is hurt in a crash you cause. You may buy higher limits, but a $15,000 policy would fall short of the minimum.
Courts commonly order a person convicted of DUI to complete an alcohol education program on top of fines and license penalties, and finishing it can be a condition for getting full driving privileges back. A DUI conviction is recorded and brings more than a token fine, and a five-year suspension goes far beyond the usual first-offense penalty.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
