250 Arrested for DUI Over Halloween

November 6, 2015 - Traffic Safety - STATEWIDE— As trick-or-treaters hit the streets over Halloween weekend, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) joined forces with the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies to saturate Colorado’s roadways with DUI patrols arresting 250 drivers for impaired driving.

The increased DUI enforcement period, part of CDOT’s The Heat Is On campaign, ran from Friday, October 30 until Monday, November 2.  Aiming to keep Colorado’s roads safe during the weekend, 78 local law enforcement agencies pitched in with increased enforcement efforts including sobriety checkpoints, heightened patrols and more.  The number of arrest were down from Halloween 2014, in which 329 drivers were arrested for DUI.

“We’re pleased that DUI arrests were down this past Halloween, but there is still a lot of work to be done to reverse the trend of drug and alcohol-related fatalities in Colorado,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “We will continue to look at ways to educate the public on the dangers of driving impaired and work with law enforcement to ensure our roadways are safe.”

Statewide CSP arrested 45 drivers for DUI. The police departments with the most arrests were Denver (50), Colorado Springs (34) and Aurora (36). “Unfortunately hundreds of drivers got behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs and they are now dealing with the real-life nightmare of a DUI arrest,” said Colonel Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Thankfully those drivers were removed from our roadways, which enhanced the safety for not only themselves but other motorists on the road over Halloween weekend.” 

The CDOT Highway Safety Office provides funding to Colorado law enforcement for impaired driving enforcement, education and awareness campaigns. The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year with 12 specific high visibility impaired driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement. More details about the campaign, including impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips can be found at HeatIsOnColorado.com.