CDOT attends Denver’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade to encourage roadway safety

Don’t count on luck to get you home safely. Plan a sober ride to and from your destination. To encourage roadway safety this season, CDOT participated in Denver's St. Patrick’s Day Parade to highlight several of its safety campaigns and services: Winter Wise, Distracted Driving, The Heat Is On DUI campaign and Bustang. CDOT distributed ride-share credits and other safe driving materials in partnership with AAA Colorado, OtterBox and Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service. Lucky winners received a $10 Uber credit, a code for a discounted or free mobile device vent mount or a $50 discount on a new set of tires. Parade attendees and those partaking in holiday celebrations were encouraged to practice safe driving habits by using a ride-share service or public transportation to avoid a DUI and distractions while behind the wheel.

From March 13 to 19, CDOT supported the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 77 local law enforcement agencies for The Heat Is On St. Patrick’s Day Weekend DUI enforcement period. During enforcement periods, Coloradans may have seen sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to arresting impaired drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nighttime driving during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday is significantly more dangerous than daytime driving. During the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday, nearly half (47%) of drivers involved in a fatal crash after midnight were impaired. Additionally, CSP crash investigations have found that Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights continuously rank the highest for impaired driving-related crashes. Since 2019, impaired drivers have been involved in more than 5,300 fatal, injury and property crashes during the weekend period in Colorado, mostly in the evenings.

Drivers are also encouraged to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. On Jan. 1, a new law went into effect in Colorado that prohibits drivers from using a mobile electronic device while driving, though hands-free accessories are permitted. CDOT urges all drivers to adopt safer driving practices and ensure you are compliant with the new law. Learn how to use your car’s Bluetooth system, invest in a dashboard cellphone mount or car speakerphone system, and review the penalties for violating the law at codot.gov/handsfreeco.