Colorado is projected to exceed 16,000 DUI arrests by the end of 2025, according to data from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The agency reports that an average of more than 1,300 people have been arrested each month this year for driving under the influence. To address impaired driving during New Year’s celebrations, CDOT will support increased enforcement efforts by the Colorado State Patrol and 61 local law enforcement agencies as part of The Heat Is On campaign. This initiative will run from December 26, 2025 through January 1, 2026.
Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, stated: “Driving under the influence — whether you’ve consumed alcohol or cannabis — puts you at risk of a DUI arrest or crash. 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.”
According to CDOT statistics, DUI citations are most common between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., coinciding with peak hours for New Year’s festivities. The agency emphasizes that even low levels of alcohol consumption can impair driving ability; drivers may be arrested for DUI even if their blood alcohol content is below 0.05% if impairment is observed.
To reduce DUIs and related crashes over the holiday period, Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are offering an $8 discount on rides in Denver using code JOYFULCO25 in the Uber app until January 2. In addition, Regional Transportation District (RTD) buses and rail routes will be free from 7 p.m. on December 31 through 7 a.m. on January 1 thanks to a partnership with Molson Coors.
Darrell Lingk, Director of CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety said: “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.” He urged those who plan to drink to use ride-share services or public transportation.
During last year’s New Year’s Eve enforcement period there were 207 DUI arrests statewide; so far this year there have been nearly five thousand arrests during all special enforcement periods combined.
Under Colorado’s Expressed Consent Law anyone who drives in the state automatically consents to toxicology testing after a DUI arrest; refusing such tests can result in additional penalties and hinders road safety efforts.
The Heat Is On campaign operates throughout the year with multiple high-visibility enforcement periods focused around holidays and major events—these include sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols aimed at deterring impaired driving. More information about these initiatives can be found at HeatIsOnColorado.com or NoDUIColorado.org.
CDOT has also released a video series titled “The Long Road: Navigating a DUI Arrest,” which features interviews with law enforcement officials as well as victims’ stories about impaired driving incidents.
