Denver’s KWGN reports that a special event is kicking off this Friday at 9 p.m. and wrapping up at 3 the next morning. What’s the big event? It’s the Aurora Police Department’s roadside sobriety checkpoint for this Memorial Day weekend.
The officers will be on S. Chambers Road to look for DUI violators, according to a press release.
The roadside operation will be conducted as part of DUI Checkpoint Colorado, an effort that begins this weekend and lasts through summer’s traditional close at the Labor Day weekend.
As is customary with these efforts, there will be roadside signs warning drivers that they are approaching a checkpoint. Drivers will be asked to roll down their windows and listen to a law enforcement officer giving instructions on how to pass through the checkpoint. Officers will be looking for indications that motorists are drunk or otherwise impaired.
Motorists can also be ticketed for other violations at the checkpoints.
Other police departments around the state will likewise be conducting checkpoints and rolling patrols looking for intoxicated drivers, speeding violations, aggressive driving and similar offenses.
According to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, Colorado saw a significant drop in alcohol-related fatalities in the decade from 2002 to 2012. Fatalities dropped 53.2 percent in that period; among drivers under 21 years old, the drop was virtually the same, at 53.7 percent.
For those drivers facing a DUI or DUID, the consequences of a conviction can be harsh. For them, a conversation with an attorney experienced in these matters can help them understand the choices the legal system will offer.
Source: KWGN, “Aurora PD to crack down on impaired driving Memorial Day weekend,” May 20, 2014