The Colorado State Patrol and Department of Transportation on Friday kicked off The Heat Is On DUI enforcement for Super Bowl weekend.
Ninety-one law enforcement agencies are participating in the campaign, which ends Feb. 3, CDOT said in a news release.
Super Bowl weekend is the second of 16 Heat Is On periods this year. Last year, officers arrested 315 impaired drivers, CDOT said.
A DUI conviction may include up to one year in jail, license suspension and more than $13,500 after considering fines, legal fees and increased insurance costs.
“In Colorado, getting pulled over with a BAC (blood-alcohol content) of 0.05 will result in a DWAI (driving while ability impaired), and at a BAC of 0.08, you’ll be charged with a DUI,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of CSP. “The bottom line is that if you’ve had a drink, don’t drive. No level of impairment is acceptable. We want to deter drivers from getting behind the wheel impaired, which in turn saves lives on Colorado roads.”
CDOT and 96 law enforcement agencies across the state arrested 522 impaired drivers during its recent 10-day Winter Blitz. The 522 arrests were a decrease from the 612 arrests during the same enforcement last year. The Colorado Springs Police Department (58 arrests), Denver Police Department (57 arrests), and Larimer County Sheriffs Office (31 arrests) recorded the most arrests. CSP made 69 arrests. A complete list of arrests can be found at codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal.
To purchase or learn more about personal breathalyzers, visit codot.bactrack.com.