As the sun begins to hang a bit longer in the sky, signaling the start of Colorado's much-awaited summer, the Colorado State Patrol is swiftly shifting gear to curb a chilling trend. With Memorial Day weekend fast approaching, the specter of the '100 Deadliest Days of Summer' looms, a period marked by a spike in traffic-related fatalities, many tied to impaired driving. In this critical moment, the state troopers are not just calling for vigilance; they are demanding it.
Launching their "Don't Underestimate Impairment" campaign, Colorado State Patrol embarks on a summer crusade against the haze of intoxication that too often clouds the judgment of drivers during these high-risk months. "The time spent on arranging a ride-share, making a plan to stay over at the location of the party or finding a designated driver is nothing when you compare it to the impact a DUI could have," said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, obtained by Colorado State Patrol, highlights the life-altering consequences of such actions, which range from lost licenses to lost lives.
The stark statistics lay bare a sobering truth: 30% of Colorado's traffic fatalities involve impaired drivers. It's a figure that the Colorado State Patrol refuses to turn a blind eye to, with roadside enforcement intensifying under their watchful gaze from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. In Colorado, a first-time DUI offense could sharply swerve one’s life off-course, leading directly to a license suspension lasting nine months, a penalty meant to mirror the gravity of the crime.
