Colorado is projected to exceed 16,000 DUI arrests by the end of 2025, according to data from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). With an average of more than 1,300 DUI arrests each month this year, law enforcement agencies are preparing for increased patrols during the upcoming New Year’s Eve holiday.
To address impaired driving, CDOT will support the Colorado State Patrol and 61 local law enforcement agencies in The Heat Is On New Year’s Eve DUI enforcement period. This campaign will run from December 26, 2025 through January 1, 2026. Additional officers will be on duty with a focus on identifying and arresting impaired drivers.
“Driving under the influence — whether you’ve consumed alcohol or cannabis — puts you at risk of a DUI arrest or crash,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “This New Year’s Eve, law enforcement across the state is prepared to conduct saturation patrols and arrest impaired drivers. Don’t drop the ball this New Year’s holiday — choose to drive sober and encourage others to do the same.”
Data from Colorado State Patrol indicates that most impaired driving citations occur between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., which aligns with typical New Year’s celebrations. The agency warns that even one or two drinks can impair driving ability and that a blood alcohol content below 0.05% does not guarantee safety from arrest if impairment is observed.
In response to ongoing concerns about DUIs and related crashes, Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are offering an $8 discount for rides within Denver using code JOYFULCO25 through January 2, while Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Molson Coors are providing free rides on all RTD bus and rail routes from 7 p.m. December 31 until 7 a.m. January 1.
“So far in 2025, 223 people have died on Colorado roads in crashes involving impaired drivers. That’s 223 lives cut short, families affected and friends lost,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “If you plan to drink, use a ride-share service, public transportation or designated driver to get home safely.”
Last year during New Year’s Eve enforcement efforts there were over two hundred DUI arrests statewide; this year there have already been nearly five thousand such arrests during special enforcement periods alone.
Colorado’s Expressed Consent Law requires drivers arrested for DUI to submit to toxicology testing; refusal can result in additional legal consequences as well as hinder road safety efforts statewide.
The Heat Is On campaign operates throughout the year with multiple high-visibility enforcement periods focused around holidays and major events. These may include sobriety checkpoints or extra patrols targeting impaired driving.
For more information about these initiatives or state laws regarding DUIs visit HeatIsOnColorado.com or NoDUIColorado.org; further resources are available at codot.gov/safety.
