Colorado Agencies Step Up DUI Enforcement Through Dec. 11
According to preliminary data, 193 people have died in impaired driving crashes on Colorado roadways through Oct. 31 this year, a sharp increase from 170 at the same time a year ago.
Colorado authorities are increasing their DUI enforcement from Dec. 1 through Dec. 11 to coincide with holiday parties and related celebrations marked by increased alcohol consumption, the Colorado Department of Transportation reported. Its news release said Thanksgiving DUI enforcement by 120 agencies in the state from Nov. 17 to Nov. 27 resulted in 613 driver arrests, up from 522 arrested during the same period last year.
Agencies with the highest arrest totals were the Colorado Springs Police Department (56 arrests), Denver Police Department (48 arrests), and Aurora Police Department (34 arrests), while the Colorado State Patrol recorded 124 arrests.
"Traffic fatalities involving impaired drivers have increased this year," said Darrell Lingk, director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. "Impaired drivers account for roughly one-third of all traffic fatalities in Colorado, and DUI-prevention efforts are an effective tool to reduce such crashes."
According to preliminary data, 193 people have died in impaired driving crashes on Colorado roadways through Oct. 31 this year, a sharp increase from 170 at the same time a year ago.
During the 10-day early-December enhanced enforcement effort in 2016, 102 agencies arrested 568 impaired drivers; this year's enforcement involves 119 participating agencies. "Every impaired driver taken off the road is potentially a life saved," said Col. Scott Hernandez, CSP's chief. "With more troopers on the road, we can be proactive and arrest dangerous drivers before they cause serious harm to themselves or others."