Don’t Ring in the New Year in Handcuffs
Denver, CO – Law enforcement agencies across Colorado are intensifying DUI patrols over the next five days in an effort to deter New Year’s revelers from driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The Colorado Department of Transportation and statewide law enforcement agencies hope drivers will learn a lesson from the 873 Colorado drivers who have already been arrested for DUI so far in December. Also since Dec. 1st, 31 people have died in traffic crashes in Colorado and almost one-third of those deaths (9) were from alcohol-related crashes, according to preliminary reports.
Safety officials are encouraging everyone to plan ahead now for their holiday celebrations by arranging a safe and sober ride home. The Plan Ahead campaign has been successful in encouraging more than 440 Coloradans to take the Plan Ahead Pledge, committing to designate a sober driver this holiday season. In addition to saving lives, money and embarrassment, anyone who takes the Plan Ahead Pledge at www.PlanAheadColorado.com is entered to win a free night on the town in Denver including a night and breakfast at the Hyatt Regency Denver, dinner for two and a town car from Yellow Cab for safe and sober transportation. Pledgers have been asked what plans they will make to stay safe this holiday season with 71 percent saying they will designate a sober driver at least once, and 61 percent will stay the night at a hotel or a friend’s house and 48 percent will call a cab.
“It’s encouraging to see so many people take the time to pledge to have a sober driver. Those people are not only making a safe choice for themselves, but for everyone on our roadways,” said Pamela Hutton, governor’s representative for highway safety at the Colorado Department of Transportation. “And we hope those 440 people are telling their friends. That’s how we change the culture to make drinking and driving unacceptable.”
With DUI enforcement stepped up during New Year’s weekend, Coloradans can still find tips and tools to avoid drinking and driving at www.PlanAheadColorado.com, including hotels offering special “Plan Ahead” rates, places to get FREE cab vouchers from MillerCoors, locations to get a FREE ride from Designated Driver of Colorado Springs, cab information, places you can park your car overnight and a link to download the R-U-Buzzed? BAC Calculator iPhone application. In the Denver Metro area, RTD is offering free rides on all buses and light rail trains from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, until 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
Some Coloradans have already benefitted from making the safe choice to designate a sober driver. The Safety Office at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs was the winner of the Plan Ahead Business Challenge. They will be rewarded for committing to spread the word to their employees with a free lunch from Chipotle Mexican Grill.
The Colorado State Patrol and the following 66 agencies have filed plans for increased DUI enforcement through New Year’s weekend. Please check www.HeatIsOnColorado.com for updated information.
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Adams County SO Alamosa County SO Alamosa PD Arapahoe County SO Arvada PD Aspen PD Auraria Campus PD Aurora PD Basalt PD Boulder County SO Boulder PD Brighton PD Calhan PD Canon City PD Castle Rock PD Colorado Springs PD Cortez PD Crested Butte MO CSP/Troop 1-A Limon CSP/Troop 1-C Castle Rock CSP/Troop 1-D Adams County CSP/Troop 2-A Canon City CSP/Troop 2-B Colorado Springs CSP/Troop 2-C Lamar CSP/Troop 2-D Pueblo CSP/Troop 2-E Gaming (Cripple Creek) CSP/Troop 3-A Greeley CSP/Troop 3-B Sterling CSP/Troop 4-A Fruita CSP/Troop 4-B Craig CSP/Troop 4-C Glenwood Springs CSP/Troop 5-B Alamosa CSP/Troop 6-B Frisco CSP/Troop 6-C Broomfield CSP/Troop 6-D Gaming (Blackhawk-Central City) Denver PD Dillon PD Durango PD Eagle County SO Edgewater PD El Paso County SO |
Erie PD Estes Park PD Firestone PD Fort Collins PD Fort Lupton PD Fort Morgan PD Fountain PD Fraser/Winter Park PD Fremont County SO Gilcrest PD Gilpin County SO Glenwood Springs PD Grand Junction PD Green Mountain Falls MO Greenwood Village PD Idaho Springs PD Kiowa County SO Lafayette PD Lakewood PD Larimer County SO Littleton PD Logan County SO Longmont PD Loveland PD Manitou Springs PD Mesa County SO Montezuma County SO Morgan County SO Northglenn PD Pitkin County SO Pueblo County SO Pueblo PD Saguache County SO Sanford PD Snowmass Village PD Steamboat Springs PD Sterling PD Summit County SO Thornton PD Weld County SO Wheat Ridge PD Woodland Park PD |
For detailed information about arrests results by agency and current enforcement plans, visit www.HeatIsOnColorado.com.
