As Coloradans prepare to ring in the new year, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Colorado law enforcement are urging motorists to plan a safe and sober ride home before heading out to a bar or party.
With an average of more than 1,300 DUI arrests each month this year, Colorado is on track to surpass 16,000 total DUI arrests by the end of the year.
In an effort to prevent impaired driving, CDOT will support the Colorado State Patrol and 61 local law enforcement agencies for The Heat Is On New Year’s Eve DUI enforcement period.
This enforcement period will take place from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. Drivers should expect to see additional law enforcement officers on duty dedicated to arresting impaired drivers and encouraging motorists to start 2026 safely.
“Driving under the influence — whether you’ve consumed alcohol or cannabis — puts you at risk of a DUI arrest or crash,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol (CSP). “This New Year’s Eve, law enforcement across the state is prepared to conduct saturation patrols and arrest impaired drivers. Don’t drop the ball this New Year’s holiday — choose to drive sober and encourage others to do the same.”
CSP data shows that impaired driving citations spike between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. — the timeframe of most New Year’s celebrations.
The agency says that even one or two drinks can be enough to impair your ability to drive. Even if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is less than 0.05 percent, you can still be arrested for a DUI if an officer observes signs of impairment.
The only absolute way to ensure you are safe to drive is to have a BAC of zero.
“So far in 2025, 223 people have died on Colorado roads in crashes involving impaired drivers. That’s 223 lives cut short, families affected and friends lost,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “If you plan to drink, use a ride-share service, public transportation or designated driver to get home safely.”
During last year’s New Year’s Eve enforcement period, Colorado law enforcement made 207 DUI arrests.
Throughout all enforcement periods this year alone, there have been 4,916 DUI arrests.
Following New Year’s Eve, the next DUI enforcement period will be Winter Blitz from Jan. 8 to 21.
Under Colorado’s Expressed Consent Law, by driving a vehicle in the state, you automatically consent to a toxicology test following a DUI arrest.
Colorado has seen an increase in drivers who refuse a toxicology test in recent years. Refusing a test is illegal, and it hinders efforts to keep Colorado roads safe from impaired drivers.
Learn more about the law and the consequences of refusing to test at codot.gov/choosetotest.
Drivers should know that refusal to provide a breath or blood test once arrested for a DUI may come with increased consequences.
Learn more at codot.gov/choosetotest.
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