DUI saturation patrols set for Memorial Day weekend

Memorial Day weekend marks the start of another Driving under the Influence (DUI) saturation patrol by the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, which will take place at various locations in Larimer County.

The Memorial Day saturation will begin Friday, May 23 and run through Monday, May 26.

The saturation patrol is part of Colorado Department of Transportation’s “The Heat Is On” campaign, which combines increased DUI enforcement with strong public awareness campaigns during 12 different enforcement periods throughout the year.
The goal of a saturation patrol is to decrease the number impaired drivers on Colorado roadways and the related accidents and injuries associated with driving under the influence.

As a reminder to Colorado drivers, driving under the influence of any drugs is also illegal, and just as deadly and dangerous as driving drunk. If you drive impaired by drugs, even if they are legal like marijuana, you can be arrested for DUI. Marijuana affects reaction time, short-term memory, hand-eye coordination, concentration and the perception of time and distance. Getting high and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle will get you arrested for DUI, and this law has not changed even with the legalization of marijuana in January 2014.

According to the latest statistics from CDOT, the average DUI charge can cost more than $10,270 dollars in court fees, insurance premiums, education classes, the loss of your driver’s license and in some cases an ignition interlock device that has to be installed in your car.

CDOT reminds all drivers that each year in Colorado, more than 26,000 people are arrested for DUI and over 150 people are killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes, representing more than one-third of Colorado’s total motor vehicle fatalities. Drug-impaired driving is also a serious problem, with CDOT reporting 87 fatalities in 2012 involving drivers who tested positive for drugs.