While some Coloradans rang in 2020 safely with friends and family, others started the year off on the wrong foot — with a DUI arrest. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and statewide law enforcement agencies collaborated for the New Year’s Eve increased DUI enforcement from Dec. 27 to Jan. 2 to keep impaired drivers off the roads during New Year’s festivities. During the enforcement, 348 impaired drivers were arrested for DUI, an increase from the 334 arrests made during the same enforcement period last year.

The New Year’s Eve enforcement began the 2020 The Heat Is On enforcement periods. During the 15 enforcement periods 2019 — which totaled 179 enforcement days — law enforcement made an average of 48 DUI arrests per day. There were 8,513 DUI arrests during those enforcement periods, a slight decrease from the 9,687 arrests in 2018.

Ninety-nine law enforcement agencies across Colorado participated in the 2019 New Year’s Eve enforcement period, with the Denver Police Department (33 arrests), El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (23 arrests) and the Colorado Springs Police Department (22 arrests) recording the highest arrest totals. CSP arrested an additional 82 DUI offenders across the state, including two arrests by the CSP Troop 3-B of Sterling. The Sterling Police Department made one arrest.

“A vehicle with an impaired driver behind the wheel is a serious threat to everyone on the road,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of CSP. “There are still far too many impaired drivers that could cause harm to people out on our state’s roadways. We hope Coloradans make a concerted effort in 2020 to only travel with sober drivers.”

Preliminary data shows 176 people died in impaired-related crashes on Colorado roads in 2019.

The Heat Is On campaign will continue in 2020 with 16 heightened DUI enforcement periods. The 10-day Winter Blitz enforcement period begins on Jan. 17.

CDOT’s New Year’s Eve and Winter Blitz enforcement periods and DUI-prevention campaign support CDOT’s Whole System — Whole Safety initiative to reduce traffic injuries and deaths.