
CDOT Puts on ‘Slow-Speed Chase’ for 4/20 Rally to Highlight Dangers of Driving after Pot Use
Today, officials at the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will be putting on a “slow-speed chase” at Civic Center Park and Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater to showcase the impacts of driving after using marijuana. According to CDOT, the mock chase, which is part of the ongoing Drive High, Get a DUI campaign, has been scheduled to coincide with the 4/20 rally and Snoop Dogg concert.
As part of this event, two vehicles, simulating a police chase, will drive around, featuring various facts about the consequences of driving while impaired by marijuana.
The goal, as authorities have noted, is to not only deter impaired driving and encourage motorists to make safe choices but also to prevent impaired driving crashes and save lives.
Commenting on authorities’ efforts to fight impaired driving and educate the public about the effects of driving after using marijuana, CDOT Communication Manager Sam Cole has stated1:
With the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, we have a responsibility to pioneer marijuana education campaigns to keep our roadways safe… we have some unique and eye-catching ways to grab marijuana users’ attention and hopefully reinforce safe marijuana consumption and laws in the process.
Quick Facts about Colorado Marijuana DUIs
To support authorities’ efforts and underscore the impacts associated with driving while high, below, we have presented some of the most important facts to understand about marijuana DUIs in Colorado:
- The legal limits – 5 nanograms of THC/milliliter of blood (µ/mL) is currently the legal limit for motorists in Colorado. In other words, drivers who have at least this amount of THC in their systems can be arrested for and charged with a DUI in Colorado.
- Takeaway: You can be arrested for driving while high, and it may not take very much pot to put you over the legal limit. If you have a high tolerance, you may even be over the legal limit without necessarily feeling that high or stoned.
- Testing motorists for suspected THC impairment – Currently, chemical testing for marijuana (and other drugs) involves blood draws/tests. Drivers who refuse this testing in DUI stops can be subject to license suspensions.
- Takeaway: If a traffic officer has reason to suspect pot, drug and/or alcohol impairment in a DUI stop, (s)he can request chemical testing, and there can be consequences for refusing to submit to this testing.
- Pushing the enforcement envelope – In addition to blood tests that are currently being used to evaluate suspected marijuana/drug impairment in Colorado, authorities are also trying out new testing devices, including new pot saliva testing devices that can reportedly generate results within minutes (rather than days or weeks following the stop, as is the case with blood testing). Similarly, Colorado authorities are continuing to push the enforcement envelop by expanding drug recognition enforcement (DRE) training for officers.
- Takeaway: Colorado authorities are serious about enhancing their efforts to nab impaired drivers.
Help Fighting CO DUI Charges: Contact a Boulder DUI Attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates
If you are facing any type of DUI charges in Colorado, contact an experienced Boulder DUI attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates for a strong, effective defense.
At Peter Loyd Weber & Associates, our primary concern is protecting your constitutional rights throughout the criminal process while helping you obtain the best possible outcome to your case.
To talk about your defense and find out more about how we can help you, call us today at (720) 863-7755 or email us using the contact form on this page. We offer complimentary consultations, and we take pride in always being available to our clients – 24 hours per day, 7 days per week – so that they have the personal attention their case deserves.
From our offices based in Northglenn, Broomfield and Boulder, we provide the strongest defense and highest quality legal services to our clients throughout Weld County, Adams County and the state of Colorado.
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1: Statement made during last year’s 4/20 events planned by CDOT