If you are planning to go out and have a few drinks this Halloween, you better make sure you have a designated driver. Starting today (Oct. 27) and running through next Wednesday (Nov. 1), you can expect to see extra DUI enforcement on Colorado roadways.
This increased enforcement period is part of Colorado’s larger “The Heat is On” campaign, which consists of 14 DUI enforcement periods that occur throughout the year and generally focus on holidays and large events, including the days leading up to Halloween. As with other DUI enforcement periods, this current DUI blitz is a group effort between the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and local law enforcement agencies.
According to CDOT, there were 325 arrests during the Halloween DUI enforcement period last year, which ran from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1. Leading in the number of arrests last year were:
- Denver Police Department: 30 arrests
- Colorado Springs Police Department: 26 arrests
- Aurora Police Department: 27 arrests
Given that the Halloween DUI crackdown is one day longer this year, it is reasonable to expect that these totals may be even higher.
If you are pulled over as part of this most recent DUI enforcement period, you should keep in mind that you do rights under Colorado law. For example, you need to remember that both preliminary breath tests (PBT) and roadside sobriety tests are voluntary, meaning you can refuse to participate when police ask.
However, if police believe they have probable cause that you are impaired, they will probably ask you to submit to an official breathalyzer test or a blood test. Unlike the roadside sobriety tests or PBTs, these tests are not optional, meaning you can face punishment if you refuse.