Actions matter — CDOT calls for smart decisions ahead of Presidents Day holiday DUI enforcement
News Release
Statewide — The upcoming holiday weekend will include increased travel for many people across the state. With busier roadways, safety must stay at the forefront — starting with responsible decisions behind the wheel. From Feb. 17–28, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Colorado State Patrol and more than 60 local law enforcement agencies are uniting for the Presidents Week DUI enforcement period, with increased patrols to remove impaired drivers from the roadway.
"At the end of the party, you should never feel pressured to get your vehicle home safely - it's about your life and the safety of other innocent lives on the road with you," said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "Ease your mind and have your safe and sober ride set up in advance. We're doing our jobs out on the roads to stop impaired drivers, help us by not being one of them."
Impaired driving fatalities made up 37% of Colorado’s 754 roadway fatalities in 2022. Whether plans include traveling for the long holiday weekend or celebrating close to home, Coloradans should make a safe plan and:
- Designate a sober driver.
- Use rideshare to get home.
- Call a sober friend.
- Spend the night if too impaired to drive.
“Driving buzzed, even to the slightest degree, is driving impaired,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Holiday weekends see more people on our roads, and with winter weather sometimes in the mix, making smart decisions behind the wheel is a must. Plan ahead if you plan to drink.”
Preliminary data shows that drivers aged 25-34 made up more than 34% of DUI citations so far this year. A DUI not only blemishes a driver’s record — consequences can include jail time, license suspension and more than $13,500 in fines, legal fees and increased insurance costs.
Initial results from the recent Super Bowl Weekend DUI enforcement show 94 arrests across 72 participating agencies. The agencies with the highest number of arrests were Colorado Springs Police Department (21), Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (12) and Thornton Police Department (10).
- For local law enforcement agency plans, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal.
- For yearly impaired-driving crash and fatality data in Colorado, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety/data-analysis/fatal-crash-data.
- For trends involving impaired driving court cases, drug toxicology results and other impaired driving data, visit the Colorado Driving Under the Influence dashboard at https://ors.colorado.gov/ors-dui.
About the Heat is On
The CDOT Highway Safety Office provides funding to Colorado law enforcement for impaired driving enforcement, education and awareness campaigns. The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year, with 16 specific high-visibility impaired driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement.
- Find more details about the campaign, including impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips at HeatIsOnColorado.com.
- More information about DUI laws in Colorado can be found at NoDUIColorado.org.
- Learn more about CDOT’s dedication to keeping Colorado roads safe, including impaired driving enforcement objectives, arrest data and safety information at codot.gov/safety.
