CDOT and Colorado State Patrol partner with local Spanish-language station to encourage residents to plan ahead for a safe ride home over the holidays

We all enjoy attending parties and celebrations with our family and friends during the holidays. For many people, a mainstay of these gatherings are alcoholic beverages. As part of a recent listener appreciation concert at the Stampede in Aurora, Univision Colorado and La Tricolor (KXPK) partnered with CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol to increase awareness among over 1,000 concertgoers of the importance of planning ahead for a safe ride home after drinking.

Entravision’s Community Engagement Specialist, Deicy Quiñones, hosted a Facebook Live event featuring Sgt. Iván Alvarado, of the Colorado State Patrol, who reminded attendees that law enforcement officials in Colorado are trained to look for physical and behavioral signs of alcohol consumption.

“You need to plan ahead when you know you’ll be drinking and rely on a sober designated driver to get you and your friends home safely,” said Sgt. Alvarado. “And that means no drinks, not just relying on the person who has had the fewest number of drinks in your group.”

In 2023, Colorado lost 716 lives to traffic fatalities. This includes 218 lives lost due to impaired drivers. The age group with the highest number of arrests was individuals aged 25 to 34. Driving under the influence impairs judgment, reaction time and coordination, drastically increasing the chance of crashes and serious injuries. Likewise, driving impaired is illegal and can lead to severe penalties including fines, license suspension and even jail time.

Let’s toast the designated sober drivers who volunteer to get everyone home safely! ¡Brindemos! Por los conductores designados sobrios.