AVON — People promise themselves and others all sorts of things for New Year’s.
The Colorado State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies are promising that if you drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, it will mark the beginning of a series of penalties from a DUI arrest.
The Colorado Department of Transportation, the Colorado State Patrol and all local law enforcement agencies will increase their DUI enforcement from now through Tuesday.
It’s all part of their Heat is On campaign, 14 periods each year of law enforcement saturation patrols throughout Colorado.
Last year, 119 agencies arrested 357 impaired drivers during the five-day New Year’s enforcement period. This year, over 100 law enforcement agencies are participating.
So far in 2018, there have been 592 traffic fatalities on Colorado roads.
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Of those, 207 are impairment-related, said Darrell Lingk, director of CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety.
Memorable for ‘right reasons’
Earlier this month, 106 law enforcement agencies made 722 arrests during the Holiday Parties DUI enforcement period. Colorado State Patrol arrested 116 DUI offenders across the state.
“Sober rides are the easiest way to save lives and ensure New Year’s Eve celebrations are memorable for the right reasons,” Lingk said.
Colorado’s 5th Judicial District led the state in drunken driving arrests per capita in 2017.
Attorney Jay Tiftickjian’s law firm crunched the data from the Colorado State Demographer’s Office and Colorado Courts to create an interactive map. They found that Colorado’s Central Rockies resort region leads the state in the rate of DUI arrests:
• 8.8 per 1,000 residents in the 5th Judicial District: Clear Creek, Eagle, Lake and Summit counties.
• 7.9 per 1,000 residents in the 9th Judicial District: Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties.
The study is based on census data that 104,000 people live in Colorado’s 5th Judicial District.
Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 and rwyrick@vaildaily.com.
Leading the league
Colorado’s 5th Judicial District lead the state in DUI arrests per capita
• 5th Judicial District: Clear Creek, Eagle, Lake and Summit counties. More than 100,000 people reside in these four counties. This district has had 884 DUI arrests in 2017, a rate of 8.8 per 1,000 residents. Over nearly a 10-year period, this amounted to 10 arrests per 1,000 residents. From 2007 to 2016, the 5th District averaged 970.4 DUI/DWAI court filings.
• 9th Judicial District: Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties. More than 82,000 people reside in these three counties. This district has had 647 DUI arrests in 2017, a rate of 7.9 per 1,000 residents.
• 6th Judicial District: Archuleta, La Plata and San Juan counties. Nearly 68,000 people live in these three counties. This district has had 547 DUI arrests in 2017, a rate of 8 per 1,000 residents.
• 14th Judicial District: Grand, Moffat and Routt counties. Nearly 52,000 people live in these three counties. This district has had 392 arrests in 2017, a rate of 7.6 per 1,000 residents.
• 22nd Judicial District: Dolores and Montezuma counties. More than 28,000 people call these two counties home. This district has had 196 arrests in 2017, a rate of 7.0 per 1,000 residents.
Sources: Colorado State Patrol and Colorado courts, compiled by attorney Jay Tiftickjian’s firm
Avon offers free New Year’s Eve Tipsy Taxi
Avon Transit is offering free Tipsy Taxi service on New Year’s Eve. Between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., revelers can get a free ride home within Avon town limits.
The route will follow the Night Rider Route. Passengers can wait at any Night Rider stop for a white, 12-passenger van with the Avon logo.
Night Rider stops include: Westgate Plaza, Aspens, Stone Creek, Buck Creek, Beaver Creek West Condos, Lake Street, Avon Station, Northside Kitchen, Buffalo Ridge, Walmart, American National Bank, Christie Lodge, Avon Crossing/Canyon Run, Eaglebend North, Stonebridge Drive, Eaglebend West, Elk Lot, River Edge.
Contact the Tipsy Taxi directly at 970-949-1338, or online at http://www.avon.org/tipsytaxi.
