Montana Highway Patrol 2004 Annual Report

NHTSA · 2005 · ROSA P / Montana. Highway Patrol Division

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Summary

The Montana Highway Patrol 2004 Annual Report documents traffic safety statistics, enforcement activities, and crash data for the state of Montana during the calendar year 2004. The report serves as a statutory requirement to inform law enforcement, policymakers, and the public about traffic crash trends and areas requiring intervention. It highlights a significant improvement in traffic safety outcomes, noting that fatalities decreased by more than 13 percent compared to 2003 and approximately 15 percent compared to 2002. The document also details organizational changes, including the opening of a new District VIII office in Havre to improve service in the Northern Tier, and legislative efforts regarding traffic safety measures such as the Graduated Driver License (GDL) bill and open container laws. The report compiles data from all reported crashes investigated by Montana law enforcement, categorized by district, county, time, and contributing factors. It presents comprehensive tables detailing patrol activity, including citations issued for violations such as speeding, DUI, and seat belt non-compliance, as well as enforcement metrics like violators stopped and warrants served. The analysis breaks down crash occurrences by roadway type (Interstate, U.S. Highways, Secondary Routes, etc.), collision type, and environmental conditions. Specific attention is given to demographic data, including driver age, sex, and restraint usage, as well as the presence of alcohol or drugs. Historical context is provided through decade-by-decade fatality tables dating back to 1935, allowing for long-term trend analysis. Key findings indicate that 229 individuals died in 209 fatal crashes, 9,272 were injured in 5,998 injury crashes, and 15,566 property-damage-only crashes were reported. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 40.83 percent of all crashes and 70.81 percent of fatal crashes. Friday was identified as the day with the highest frequency of both total and fatal crashes, while January saw the most total crashes and July and September saw the most fatal crashes. Seat belt usage rates increased to 80.9 percent across all roads. Alcohol was present in 24.45 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes, while 43.07 percent had neither alcohol nor drugs present. The report also notes that 93 percent of drivers on Interstate highways used seat belts, compared to 67.7 percent in city areas. The significance of the report lies in its role as a baseline for traffic safety policy and enforcement strategy in Montana. The documented reduction in fatalities and injuries suggests that existing enforcement and educational efforts were effective during this period. However, the report emphasizes that 229 fatalities remain unacceptable, underscoring the need for continued legislative and enforcement action. The data supports targeted interventions, such as increased focus on single-vehicle crashes, Friday night enforcement, and seat belt compliance in urban areas. The inclusion of historical data provides a longitudinal perspective on traffic safety, highlighting persistent challenges and the impact of long-term policy changes.

Key finding

Traffic fatalities in Montana decreased by more than 13 percent in 2004 compared to 2003, with 229 individuals losing their lives in traffic crashes.

Methodology

dataset

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archive success 1 2026-05-23
extract success cached 3 2026-06-10
clean success 1 2026-06-01
chunk success 1 2026-06-01
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enrich success 1 2026-05-23
promote success 1 2026-05-23
summarize success llm qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant summ-v5 45 2026-06-10
tag success vector_similarity 19 2026-06-11
verify success 2 2026-06-10

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