The Heat Is On DUI enforcement campaign will return for Memorial Day weekend as Coloradans celebrate the unofficial start of summer. Ninety-six law enforcement agencies are participating statewide. The heightened enforcement is a collaborative effort conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement statewide. The increased enforcement starts Friday, May 26, and ends on Tuesday, May 30. Last year, 372 impaired drivers were arrested for DUI during the Memorial Day enforcement period and one person was killed due to an alcohol-related crash on the holiday. 

“As we enter the warmer summer months, CDOT hopes fewer people will drive impaired and, instead, plan ahead whenever drinking alcohol,” said Darrell Lingk, director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “The number of DUI arrests we saw last year underscores the importance of the enforcement periods. Unfortunately people continue to risk their lives and the lives of others on the road by driving impaired.” 

CDOT, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 108 statewide law enforcement agencies recently completed The Heat Is On Spring Events DUI enforcement, aiming to remove impaired drivers from the roads during the start of seasonal activities like baseball games and graduation parties that commonly involve alcohol consumption. Statewide a total of 1936 impaired drivers were arrested during the six-week crackdown, an increase from the 1,870 arrests during the same enforcement period last year. Most of the 1936 arrests were by CSP troopers (293), the Colorado Springs Police Department (201), Denver Police Department (191) and the Aurora Police Department (162).