Summer Strikeout DUI enforcement begins July 17
Summer plans may be different this year with many large gatherings canceled, however, law enforcement will still be on the lookout for motorists who choose to drive impaired. To keep our roads safe, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies will conduct the Summer Strikeout heightened DUI enforcement period from July 17-27. Last year, law enforcement agencies arrested 490 motorists for DUI during the same enforcement period.
“CDOT's top priority is to keep motorists safe from harm,” said Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT. “This enforcement period is a good reminder to folks that consuming any amount of alcohol can impair their ability to get behind the wheel. Drivers should always plan for a sober ride home.”
DUI enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement. More details about the campaign, including impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips can be found at at HeatIsOnColorado.com.
"We anticipate more drivers will be getting out to spend time in small groups with family and friends, participate in outdoor activities, and patronize local businesses this summer," said Colonel Matthew Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "Drivers must make the choice to never drive impaired. Summer time means more vehicles on the roads and we want everyone to arrive safely at their destination."
Over the recent Fourth of July enforcement period, which ran from July 2-6, 171 impaired motorists were arrested — a decrease from the 311 arrests made during the same period last year. A total of 93 agencies participated in the five-day enforcement period, with the Colorado Springs Police Department (22 arrests), Denver Police Department (13 arrests), and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (13 arrests) recording the highest number of arrests. CSP recorded 23 arrests. Results for all law enforcement agencies across the state can be found at https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal .
This summer, Coloradans can expect to see CDOT’s latest DUI prevention campaign across the state on billboards, buildings, in liquor stores, and on social media reminding people to wait the appropriate amount of time between consuming alcohol and driving.
CDOT’s new Take Some Time campaign aims to educate and raise awareness of the time it takes for a person’s BAC to return to zero after consuming alcohol. View and download the campaign creative here: dropbox.com/sh/d7xzbb8kd6j9sei/AACCAzHtXzPzJeSl6DMLHXzva?dl=0
As part this year’s The Heat Is On campaign, CDOT has partnered again with BACtrack, a leading personal and professional breathalyzer company, to urge Coloradans to check their blood-alcohol content (BAC) to confirm they are sober before they drive. Through the partnership, BACtrack Mobile Pro, Trace Pro, C8, and C6 breathalyzers will be offered at a 50% discount for Colorado residents until Sept. 15, or while supplies last. Residents can visit codot.bactrack.com to place an order. For more information about previous CDOT and BACtrack breathalyzer campaigns, visit heatisoncolorado.com.
For more information on CDOT’s efforts this summer, including impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety.
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.
COVID-19
Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, road maintenance and construction continues on CDOT projects with social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO by practicing social distancing, wearing face masks, staying at home when possible, and avoiding nonessential travel. With fewer vehicles on the roads, CDOT crews will be able to work more efficiently and safely.
WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.
In early 2019, CDOT announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to heighten safety awareness. This initiative 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. Gov. Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.
