Colorado law enforcement to up DUI patrols over historically deadly July 4th weekend

Colorado law enforcement will have extra impaired driving patrols this Fourth of July weekend, which is a historically deadly period for DUIs in the state.

Crashes involving impaired drivers are often deadly, according to data from the Colorado Department of Transportation. In the last five years in Colorado, 52% of all roadway fatalities during the Fourth of July holiday involved suspected impaired drivers.

On average, about a third of all fatal crashes in the state involve an impaired driver, according to CDOT.

Nationwide, impaired driving historically accounts for nearly 40% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. during the Fourth of July holiday, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2022, 487 people died nationwide in traffic crashes over the Fourth of July holiday.

Impairment can be caused by alcohol, marijuana, or illicit or prescription drug use.

From July 3-8, CDOT is supporting Colorado State Patrol and 66 other local law enforcement agencies in a DUI enforcement period, which means drivers may see a larger law enforcement presence, additional patrols or sobriety checkpoints over the holiday weekend.

Last year’s Fourth of July DUI enforcement period led to 167 DUI arrests, including eight arrests by Fort Collins Police Services and 12 arrests by the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

The Fourth of July DUI enforcement period is one of 16 enforcement periods as part of CDOT’s annual summer “The Heat Is On” DUI enforcement campaign. Last year, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office was one of the agencies that made the highest number of DUI arrests during those periods with 270.

In the last DUI enforcement period that ran June 6-19, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Collins Police Services led the state in arrests with 25 and 18, respectively. The Colorado Springs Police Department tied the sheriff’s office with 25 arrests.

The state provides additional funding to local law enforcement agencies to have additional staffing dedicated to DUI enforcement during these enforcement periods, which have been identified as times where impaired driving is typically more common. The goal is to prevent people from driving impaired and stop impaired drivers before crashes occur.

Enforcement periods “account for half of the impaired driving arrests that occur in Colorado," CDOT Impaired Driving Enforcement Coordinator Brittany Janes previously told the Coloradoan.

Tips to celebrate the Fourth of July safely by not driving impaired:

• Plan a sober ride in advance.
• Use a truly sober designated driver: A sober driver is someone who doesn’t drink at all, not the one who’s had the least to drink.
• Be a responsible host and support designated drivers by providing non-alcoholic beverage options if you’re having guests over.
• If you have a friend about to drive impaired, intervene by taking their keys and arranging a safe ride home.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 911.