“Be smart about your decisions this weekend” was the proclimation set forth by Darrell Lingk, who is the Director of Transportation Safety for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). As we reported last week, law enforcement agencies across the state are gearing up for what is arguably the most dangerous weekend of the summer.
With many Coloradans hitting the road to get to their favorite campsites and lakes, there will be additional traffic. With higher traffic volumes, the chances that an accident may occur increase. Add in the higher number of impaired drivers, and it is no wonder that law enforcement is concerned.
In last year’s Fourth of July enforcement push, police made 632 drunk driving arrests. They hope not to make so many arrests this year, and hope that people will make better choices about alcohol use. To that end, they are focusing on educating the public about the dangers of drunk driving in order to deter them from doing so.
In the meantime, law enforcement agencies are taking a zero-tolerance approach to impaired driving (and boating). Beginning today at 6:00 p.m. and through July 8 at 3:00 a.m., drivers can expect additional patrols and sobriety checkpoints geared at catching drunk drivers.
Of course, being arrested on suspicion of drunk driving does not mean that you are guilty of a crime. Zealous enforcement can lead to mistakes in judgment and procedure, which could lead to an improper arrest. If you have questions about your rights and options after an arrest, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney
Source: Fox21News.com July 4th DUI enforcement begins in Colorado, July 2, 2013