Biggest DUI enforcement of summer begins August 16 ahead of Labor Day
News Release
Statewide — Holiday weekends and the end of summer are for fun and relaxation, not a DUI citation. As the sun sets on the summer season, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies are conducting the Labor Day Crackdown enforcement period from Aug. 16 through Sept. 6 to keep Colorado roads safe. Spanning 21 days, this is the biggest DUI enforcement campaign of the summer. Over 70 law enforcement agencies across the state will be participating in the crackdown.
DUI enforcement periods, which include increased patrols and checkpoints, have seen 3,025 arrests this year. There were 694 arrests during the same Labor Day enforcement period last year. The recent Summer Strikeout enforcement period, which ended on July 19, concluded with 190 arrests. Additionally, as of Aug. 1, there have been 119 fatalities involving an impaired driver so far this year.
“As we head into the final days of summer, make a plan before you head out. Boating? Sober ride. Barbeque? Sober ride. Pool party? Sober ride,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Labor Day may be the last holiday weekend of the summer season, but don’t make it your last holiday forever.”
To help Coloradans plan a safe ride, CDOT, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Uber are providing $10 Uber ride credits during the Labor Day enforcement period. Valid while supplies last, the ride credits are available statewide and can be redeemed using the code “RIDEWISE” in the Uber app from Aug. 31 at 5:00 p.m. through Sept. 9 at 11:59 p.m. To apply the credit directly to the Uber app from a mobile device, click here.
“Impaired driving deaths are preventable, and innocent lives depend on your decisions,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “If you have consumed alcohol or drugs, please make the choice not to get behind the wheel - instead plan a sober ride home.”
“Labor Day marks the end of the 100 deadly days of summer, when traffic fatalities spike,” said Harry Hartfield, Senior Manager, Public Affairs, Uber. We’re proud to join the Colorado Department of Transportation in helping to provide alternatives to drinking and driving and helping ensure Coloradans have a safe end of summer.”
For yearly impaired driving crash and fatality data in Colorado, visit codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety/data-analysis/fatal-crash-data. For local law enforcement agency plans, visit codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal.
About Uber
Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 39 billion trips later, we’re building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.
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.
