Holiday weekends that give families time away from work and school are popular times for barbecues and other get-togethers. They usually mean something for Colorado police, too — watching out for drunk drivers. Police tend to make more DUI-related traffic stops and arrest during holiday weekends than during other times of the year.
The recent Labor Day weekend and the weeks beforehand led to over 960 arrests for alleged drunk driving. The hundreds of arrests are believed to be strongly related to the statewide campaign — the Heat Is On — in which over 100 police agencies participated. Numbers from 2015 apparently show that a quarter of all DUI-related fatalities fell in the months of Aug. and Sept., which overlap the Labor Day period.
The Heat Is On campaign is funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation. While the campaign technically runs all throughout the years, law enforcement agencies put extra effort into identifying potentially intoxicated drivers during 12 so-called high enforcement periods. These periods tend to occur during national holidays or well-known public events. Police usually create checkpoints and put additional officers on the road during these periods.
While drunk driving is an obvious concern for law enforcement and the public, the potential impact on an individual accused of being intoxicated behind the wheel is rarely taken into consideration. Colorado drivers arrested and charged with DUI charges often lose access to their driving privileges, which also impacts their ability to travel to and from work, school and other important areas. For some, charges might be severe enough to warrant extended time in jail. In order to address these charges in a timely manner, defendants are usually well advised to spend time reviewing their charges with their respective counsels.
