New data from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) indicates a 22% reduction in impaired driving-related fatalities compared to this time in 2022, when such deaths reached a record high. The announcement comes as CDOT, the Colorado State Patrol, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) urge drivers to plan for safe transportation during the holiday season.
Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT, stated: “Keep yourself and your loved ones safe this holiday season — driving impaired is a conscious decision that can cost lives. If you’ve been consuming alcohol or cannabis, do not get behind the wheel. Instead, use a ride-share service or call a sober friend. Just don’t risk a DUI, crash or worse.”
So far in 2025, there have been 205 deaths in Colorado involving an impaired driver. While this number remains significant, it represents notable progress since last year. Officials caution that crashes related to impaired driving often increase during periods of heightened travel like the holidays. In December 2024 alone, there were 45 traffic fatalities statewide; 14 involved suspected impaired drivers.
Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, commented: “Colorado’s decrease in impaired driving deaths is a hopeful sign that more drivers are making the right decisions to arrange for a sober ride. Do your part to save lives this season. Plan ahead and remember that there’s never an excuse to drive impaired.”
To encourage responsible choices during the holidays, Uber and MADD are offering an $8 discount through Uber Voucher code JOYFULCO25 within the Denver metro area between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2.
Rebecca Green, state executive director of MADD Colorado and Wyoming said: “This season of celebration often turns to tragedy in the blink of an eye. Give yourself and your loved ones the gift of a sober ride home. Take a moment to make your plan and together we can end impaired driving.”
The annual report from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice highlights that nearly half of individuals involved in crashes who were convicted of DUI had alcohol along with cannabis or another drug present in their system; combinations included alcohol with THC or other substances.
Law enforcement will be increasing efforts from Dec. 11 through Dec. 25 as part of The Heat Is On Holiday Parties DUI enforcement period—an initiative supported by CDOT alongside local agencies across Colorado—to target impaired drivers through saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints statewide.
During last year’s campaign over December holidays, law enforcement made more than 1,300 DUI arrests across Colorado.
The Heat Is On campaign continues throughout each year with multiple enforcement periods targeting major holidays and events (https://www.codot.gov/safety). Information about state DUI laws is available at NoDUIColorado.org (https://noduicolorado.org/), while additional media resources can be found on CDOT’s Impaired Driving Media Resources page (https://www.codot.gov/safety/alcohol-and-impaired-driving/media-resources).
Drivers should also be aware that refusing breath or blood tests after being arrested for DUI may result in harsher penalties under Expressed Consent laws (https://www.codot.gov/choosetotest).
CDOT has produced video content detailing what occurs during DUI arrests—including interviews with law enforcement officers and victims—which is accessible via YouTube.
