Law enforcement agencies across the state of Colorado will participate in The Heat is On Fourth DUI enforcement period, July 3-8. Cortez Police Department and the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office are among participating agencies.
The Colorado Department of Transportation is supporting Colorado State Patrol and 66 local agencies in this initiative this year, and reminds drivers to “never get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or cannabis,” CDOT said in a press release.
During this period, drivers could encounter saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints, and additional law enforcement officers.
CDOT reported 228 people were killed last year in impaired driving crashes in the state. Impaired driving-related fatalities tend to spike in the summer months, with last July being the deadliest month of 2023 with 91 traffic fatalities reported, according to the release. Twenty-four of those involved suspected impaired drivers.
“Since 2019, 29 people have been killed in crashes involving impaired drivers during the Independence Day travel period,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “If you’ll be consuming alcohol or cannabis this Fourth of July weekend, leave the keys behind. Make a plan to get home safely and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Do your part to keep Coloradans safe.”
CDOT encourages anyone planning to host parties for the holiday to collect car keys from guests, encourage designated drivers or ride-sharing services, stop serving alcohol before the party ends and offer food and non-alcoholic beverages, and don’t allow intoxicated guests to get behind the wheel.
The Heat is On campaign is a year-round campaign, and the CDOT Highway Safety Office provides funding to law enforcement to enforce impaired driving laws and educate the public. More details can be found on CDOT’s website at https://www.codot.gov/safety/impaired-driving. To view which other agencies are participating, visit https://socgov.my.salesforce-sites.com/tsreports/ts_reports.
