A summer traffic safety campaign in Colorado saw 2,999 drivers arrested – an 11 percent increase on 2018.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP), and local law agencies teamed up for six high visibility enforcement periods as part of The Heat Is On campaign.
Results from the enforcement period were:
- Memorial Day – 323 arrests (four-day enforcement period)
- Summer Blitz – 585 arrests (10-day period)
- Fourth of July – 311 arrests (five-day period)
- Summer Strikeout – 482 arrests (10-day period)
- Sturgis Rally – 399 arrests (10-day period)
- Labor Day Crackdown – 899 arrests (18-day period)
Last year 2,663 arrests were made during the summer enforcement periods.
“Last year, 63 people tragically died in alcohol-related crashes in Colorado from June to August,” said Shoshana Lew, CDOT Executive Director. “Impaired drivers not only risk an arrest for DUI — they put the lives of everyone on the road in danger. These enforcement periods get impaired drivers off our roads, which ultimately saves lives. All people traveling on Colorado roads should get to their destinations safely.”
The Heat Is On summer campaign is now over, but CDOT, CSP, and statewide law agencies are now running The Fall Festivals until October 21 – a heightened DUI enforcement period. The enforcement will include 92 Colorado law enforcement agencies. Last year’s Fall Festivals enforcement cited 1,877 impaired drivers.
