It is pretty close to impossible to accurately predict the future, but we can say with a fair amount of certainty that in coming days the Denver Police Department and other Colorado law enforcement agencies will conduct drunk driving crackdowns. Looking at the calendar year stretching out before us, we see upcoming holidays, three-day weekends, traditional drinking days and so on scattered here and there.
Those special occasions add up to greater risks of drivers being pulled over and then arrested for DUI; flashing-light events sure to put the damper on any celebration. Let’s face it, few people relish the idea of having to go to court and DMV hearings or engaging with their attorney in negotiations with prosecutors on minimizing penalties or getting charges reduced or dropped.
St. Patrick’s Day falls this year on Tuesday, March 17. While many wear green and down an Irish beverage or two that day, few look greener than those taken into custody, charged with drunken driving.
The annual pro-marijuana rally on April 20 is scheduled to fall on a Monday in 2015. Newspaper reports say the event will carry on. A couple of years ago, more 1,700 drivers faced DUI or DUID charges during the law enforcement events staged from early April through early May 2013.
Memorial Day weekend, July 4th (on a Saturday this year) and Labor Day weekend are also traditionally times when DUI enforcement surges in Denver and surrounding communities.
Halloween and Thanksgiving are also days on which patrols are stepped up and checkpoints staged. And then we roll back into the Christmas holidays, with accompanying office parties, and New Year’s Eve celebrations.