Don’t Ring in the New Year with a DUI
Plan Ahead Before you Party

DENVER – With New Year’s Eve quickly approaching, the Colorado Department of Transportation and statewide law enforcement agencies want to remind people to ring in the New Year safely by planning ahead for a sober ride. Increased “Heat Is On” DUI enforcement will be under way from Dec. 30 through Jan. 4, 2010 by the Colorado State Patrol and more than 50 law enforcement agencies.

Many Coloradans have already taken action to plan ahead before holiday parties. The “R-U-Buzzed BAC Calculator” iPhone app, launched by CDOT in early December, has already been downloaded 35,898 times from the Apple App Store and has remained in the Top 25 Free Healthcare & Fitness apps since its introduction. The free app allows users to calculate their estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) based on how many drinks they have consumed, how long they have been drinking, and their gender. While the calculator is only a guide, the app suggests that having a sober driver is the only safe option, and it will even provide the phone number of a local cab company with just a tap of the screen.

A useful Web site, www.PlanAheadColorado.com, offered by CDOT has also been used by thousands of Coloradans to find information on ways to prevent drinking and driving. Users can find participating locations along the Front Range that are offering FREE cab vouchers worth $5, as well as hotels offering discounted rooms, public transportation information and locations where they can park overnight without getting a ticket or towed.

While thousands of Coloradans are making good choices and safe plans before celebrating with alcohol, some are not choosing wisely. More than 600 people were arrested for DUI between Dec. 1 and Dec. 11, during increased holiday party DUI enforcement. In addition, another 587 drivers were arrested for impaired driving during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

“Tens of thousands of people are finding tools to help them make the right choice to designate a sober driver,” said Col. James Wolfinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Whether it’s the iPhone app, Plan Ahead Web site, talking with friends or calling a cab, they are choosing safety for themselves and others on the road. Unfortunately, we still see drivers who don’t bother to take others into account, not to mention the fines and even jail time they’ll face; or worse, hurting or killing someone during this special time of year.”

According to preliminary reports, seven people were killed on Colorado roadways in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and Dec. 27th. That’s down nearly 50 percent from the same time period last year when 13 people died in alcohol-related crashes in Colorado.

Law enforcement agencies will be participating in increased DUI enforcement from Dec. 30 – Jan. 4.