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Don’t Push Your Luck by Driving Drunk this St. Patrick’s Day
Law enforcement officials from 87 different agencies in Colorado are currently running heightened DUI patrols for the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day enforcement period, according to authorities at the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
Kicked off last weekend, this DUI crackdown will reportedly run through Friday, March 18th. In addition to staffing more roving patrols, participating agencies – including the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) – may also be planning various DUI checkpoints over the next few days.
“We strongly encourage people to plan ahead and make critical decisions before drinking. By taking alternative transportation to your destination, you can eliminate the risk of driving after drinking,” Col. Scott Hernandez, CSP Chief, has explained.
He and other authorities hope that motorists heed this warning for 2016 St. Patrick’s Day and, in turn, that this year’s DUI arrest numbers for this enforcement period start dropping.
St. Patrick’s Day DUI Arrests Increased in 2015, CDOT Reports
From 2014 to 2015, Colorado’s DUI arrest rate over St. Patrick’s Day increased by more than 4 percent, as a total of 505 people were reportedly arrested last year over this enforcement period in Colorado.
This reflects a sharp contrast from the DUI arrest rate from 2013 to 2014, when only two fewer people were arrested in Colorado in 2014 (with the arrest numbers dropping from 486 arrests in 2013 to 484 arrests in 2014).
While it remains to be seen whether authorities’ public education and DUI enforcement efforts are effective at deterring impaired driving – and bringing DUI arrest numbers down for St. Patrick’s Day this year. As news about this year’s St. Patrick’s Day DUI arrests becomes available, we will report the latest findings in a future blog.
Plan Now to Avoid a DUI Arrest Later
If you will among the many people celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year with some alcohol, taking time to make some plans now can be crucial to minimizing your future risk of a DUI arrest. Here are some plans to make to that end:
- Find a sober driver who will take you to and/or from the party.
- Check out public transportation options and plan your festivities around their availability.
- Take a cab or plan on using a ride sharing service.
- Split the costs of a fancy ride – like a town car or party bus – if you and a group of friends all need rides.
- Reserve a room at a hotel/motel or find a nearby hostel where you can stay for the evening.
- Host your own St. Patrick’s Day party if you can’t find a ride or a reserve a room somewhere.
Contact a Boulder DUI Attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates
Have you or a loved one been charged with a DUI in Colorado? If so, an experienced Boulder DUI attorney at Peter Loyd Weber & Associates is ready to immediately start defending you. 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 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.
