Memorial Day Weekend DUI Enforcement Cites 300 Drivers

STATEWIDE — While many Coloradans spent the Memorial Day weekend enjoying the warm weather with family and friends, law enforcement agencies across the state worked overtime to apprehend impaired drivers and keep our roads safe. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 102 law enforcement agencies teamed up from May 25 through May 29 for The Heat Is On Memorial Day DUI enforcement. During the five-day enforcement stretch, 300 impaired drivers were arrested for suspected impaired driving, a decrease from the 332 arrests made over the same period in 2017.

“We see an alarming trend of increasing road fatalities heading into the summer months, with 31 percent of all 2017 Colorado road fatalities occurring in June, July and August,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “Some people think getting behind the wheel after one or two drinks is acceptable, but that isn’t the case. Even a few alcoholic drinks can impair your ability to drive — it’s simply not worth the risk.”

Among the 102 participating agencies, the Colorado Springs Police Department (25 arrests), Denver Police Department (22 arrests) and Aurora Police Department (17 arrests) recorded the highest arrest totals. Visit bit.ly/CDOTHIO to view all arrest results throughout Colorado.

“The number of impaired drivers arrested over Memorial Day weekend is an ongoing reminder of the risk impaired drivers impose to our state,” said Col. Matthew Packard, Chief of the CSP. “The Heat Is On enforcement periods help stop impaired drivers from putting both themselves and others in danger, and potentially save lives.”

An average of 77 impaired drivers are arrested in Colorado every day. The Colorado blood-alcohol limit for a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge is 0.08 percent or higher, and for a Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) charge, it is 0.05 percent or higher. First-time DUI offenders can be punished with up to one year in jail, license suspension and thousands of dollars in fines.

The Heat Is On returns on June 15 for the 10-day Summer Blitz enforcement period.

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 14 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.