CDOT launches pop-up exhibit to educate Coloradans on DUI consequences
News Release
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Colorado - When law enforcement arrests and removes an impaired driver from our roadways, we are all a little safer. It is also important to prevent that person from ever driving impaired again. That’s why Colorado has an extensive treatment and intervention program targeting DUI offenders.
To raise awareness of the consequences of a DUI, ahead of Labor Day weekend, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Police Department will host a pop-up exhibit at Stanley Marketplace Sept. 2 from 3-6 p.m. The display walks people through the lengthy process of a DUI arrest, including jail time, community service, license revocation, fines and vehicle modifications. The exhibit will also be at the Art RiNo festival Sept. 9 from 3-6 p.m.
The Labor Day holiday weekend often sees a rise in DUI-related deaths on our roadways. Of the 78 traffic deaths that occurred during the Labor Day holiday weekend over the last 10 years in Colorado, 45% involved impaired driving.
CDOT, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies are also conducting heightened DUI enforcement through the Labor Day holiday weekend to remove impaired drivers from the roadway. To date, 160 people have been killed in DUI-related crashes in Colorado in 2022. This represents 36% of all traffic deaths this year.
“We hope this exhibit serves as a wake-up call to all drivers. You’re not looking at a simple traffic citation with a DUI — it’s a criminal offense that can affect your job, your reputation and your future,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Highway Safety Office at CDOT. “Being careless and irresponsible behind the wheel after drinking comes with hefty, long-lasting repercussions.”
A DUI is more than a night in a jail or a hefty fine. It can take over two years to resolve and include $13,000 in fines and penalties. The offense substitutes your time and freedom with court dates, education and treatment to reinstate your license. The time commitment is also substantial, around 170 hours.
To encourage safe rides in Denver over Labor Day, CDOT is partnering with Anheuser-Busch, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Uber one last time this summer for the Decide to Ride campaign. The campaign asks people to leave their keys at home and take a sober ride. Uber discounts will be available in Denver during the Labor Day holiday. Look for discount information in upcoming CDOT social media posts.
“We want people to understand the severity of a DUI, and that driving impaired is avoidable,” said Sergeant Alan Ma, Denver Police Department. “We encourage our community to always plan ahead for safe, sober transportation, and are committed to removing impaired drivers from our roads before their decision puts someone else in harm’s way. We’ve already lost far too many people at the hands of impaired drivers this year.”
Local law enforcement agency plans can be found at https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal.
For yearly impaired-driving crash and fatality data in Colorado, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety/crash-data-management/fatal-crash-data. For trends involving impaired driving court cases, drug toxicology results and other impaired driving data, visit the Colorado Driving Under the Influence dashboard at https://ors.colorado.gov/ors-dui.
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. More information about DUI laws in Colorado can be found at NoDUIColorado.org. Learn more about CDOT’s dedication to keeping Colorado roads safe, including impaired driving enforcement objectives, arrest data and safety information at codot.gov/safety.
