KALISPELL — Memorial Day to Labor Day is known as the 100 deadliest days of summer on Montana roadways - law enforcement officers historically see a rise in serious fatal crashes attributed to drugs and alcohol.
“When you drink and drive, you’re putting yourself, your family and other people at risk, and take it from somebody who lost a child, we don’t want that for anybody,” said MT Bar Fairies co-founder Beth McBride.
(WATCH: Digital billboard in Montana remembers victims of drunk drivers)
McBride’s son Bobby Dewbre was killed by a drunk driver in 2023. Dewbre was crossing the street after celebrating his 21st birthday, getting into a sober ride home, when the car struck him.
McBride has turned grief into advocacy, starting the Montana bar Fairies, which leaves gift cards on cars left overnight in bar parking lots.
She helped pass legislation called “Bobby’s Law” in 2025, which enforces stricter punishment for fatal DUI’s.
“And we need to remind people you can’t drink and drive, it causes so many things,” added McBride.
McBride said Montana Bar Fairies recently received an anonymous $10,000 donation to showcase victims of drunk drivers on a digital billboard off Highway 2 in Kalispell.
“And we have I think six or seven different stories, we show unfortunately some of the victims including my son, Erin Howk, Brooke Hanson, these are people that people know here, so we have victims, we have some reminders,” said McBride.
Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Cord Hege said law enforcement see a sharp rise in impaired driving during the summer months.
He’s asking drivers to plan ahead before they get behind the wheel.
“If we can remove impairment due to alcohol and drugs from the roadways, we will see a decrease in fatal crashes, there’s absolutely no doubt about it,” said Hege.
McBride said the billboard will remain up through the month of July.
“I mean think about it, anybody who’s watching this right now think about it, do you know anyone who’s been killed or severely injured as a direct result of a DUI, and you know what, the majority of people are going to say yes, let’s stop this together, we can do it together,” said McBride.
