NEWS FROM:
Sam Cole, CDOT Communications Manager
303.757-9484 (desk) | 303-859-1304 (cell)sam.cole@state.co.us
Nov. 8, 2019303.757-9484 (desk) | 303-859-1304 (cell)sam.cole@state.co.us
Halloween DUI enforcement cites 228 impaired drivers
Thanksgiving DUI enforcement begins Nov. 22
STATEWIDE — Impaired drivers were met with a frightening reality during Halloween weekend, as the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and statewide law agencies collaborated for the annual Halloween The Heat Is On DUI enforcement. From Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, officers arrested 228 drivers. This is a decrease from the 378 arrests that were made during the same enforcement period last year.
“Increased DUI enforcement is crucial over holiday weekends to ensure all Coloradans get to their destinations safely,” said Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT. “If you choose to drink or consume marijuana, don’t drive. Any amount of alcohol or marijuana consumption can hinder one’s ability to drive.”
Throughout the state, 91 agencies participated in the Halloween enforcement period, with Denver Police (25), Colorado Springs Police (23) and El Paso Sheriff (19) recording the highest arrest totals. CSP made 22 arrests.
“There is never an excuse to drive impaired with the many alternative ride options available,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the CSP. “As we move closer to the 2019 holiday season, we will continue to stop impaired drivers to keep everyone on Colorado roadways safe.”
The Heat Is On will return Nov. 22 for a 10-day Thanksgiving holiday DUI enforcement. Last year, 593 drivers were arrested for DUI during that enforcement campaign.
CDOT’s Halloween and Thanksgiving enforcement periods and DUI-prevention campaign support CDOT’s Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to reduce traffic injuries and deaths. Last year, there were 209 passenger vehicle fatalities on Colorado roads involving impaired drivers, accounting for more than one-third of all traffic fatalities in 2018. A complete list of arrests is at heatisoncolorado.com under The Heat Is On Arrest tab.
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.
WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.
To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.
ABOUT CDOT
CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located at its Denver headquarters and in regional offices throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.
