Between Dec. 30 and Jan. 3, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies statewide will increase DUI enforcement to arrest impaired drivers during New Year’s celebrations as part of the year-long Heat is On campaign. This year, 107 agencies statewide will participate in the crackdown.
“Nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities this year involved an impaired driver,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “It takes one person’s bad decision to change many lives forever. Plan to have a sober ride before you start celebrating.”
Last year, 103 agencies arrested 396 impaired drivers during the New Year’s enforcement period. There were seven traffic fatalities during the enforcement period. Three of the seven fatalities were caused by alcohol-related crashes.
“People often forget the financial, legal — and most importantly — the safety implications of driving impaired,” said Col. Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “There is absolutely no need to risk driving under the influence with the many transportations options available.”
The following promotions will be available to help people get home safely from celebrations:
• RTD and Coors Light will offer complimentary bus and rail service from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 7 a.m. on Jan. 1 as part of the “Freeze the Keys” DUI-prevention effort.
• The Sawaya Law Firm’s “Free Cab Ride Home Program” will offer a ride from one location to the passenger’s home through Jan. 3. Once the passenger has paid for a cab, they can send the receipt to the The Sawaya Law Firm for reimbursement.
• Lyft is offering a discount to new users. Sign up with the promo code CDOTRideSafe for a $20 credit on your first ride. Once you download the app, create an account and enter the code in the payment section.
First-time DUI offenders can be punished with up to one year in jail, license suspension and thousands of dollars in fines. On average, a DUI can cost more than $13,500 after considering fines, legal fees and increased insurance costs. Penalties increase for repeat offenders.
The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year with 12 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. More details can be found at HeatIsOnColorado.com.