Increased DUI enforcement across Colorado for Thanksgiving week
COLORADO (KRDO) -- Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation is teaming up with local law enforcement agencies to participate in "The Heat Is On" DUI enforcement during Thanksgiving week.
During the enforcement period, between Nov. 24 - 28, there will be increased DUI patrols on duty statewide to remove impaired drivers from the roads.
According to CDOT, there have been more than 198,000 Colorado drivers charged with DUI's since 2010.
“Your Colorado State troopers and local law officers will be sacrificing time with their families to eliminate the threat that impaired drivers present to motorists on our roadways,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “History has shown us that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the holiday weekend is an extremely popular time for people to gather and excessively drink. Don't ruin your holiday or anyone else's, plan for a sober ride."
During last year's Thanksgiving Week enforcement period, 104 law enforcement agencies arrested 354 impaired drivers. Also, CDOT reports one motorist died in a crash involving an impaired driver during the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
According to CDOT's Traffic Safety Reporting Data, the Colorado Springs Police Department made the most arrests during 2020's Thanksgiving Weekend enforcement, totaling 37 arrests between Nov. 20, 2020, and Nov. 20, 2020.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Department and the Denver Police Department tied with 27 arrests made.
According to CDOT, many people are repeat DUI offenders. The five counties with the highest number of people with two or more DUI convictions in 2020 are:
- El Paso County: 764
- Larimer County: 466
- Jefferson County: 454
- Adams County: 409
- Arapahoe County: 391
CDOT says a DUI conviction after fines, legal fees, and increased insurance, can cost a person more than $13,000.
