COLORADO, USA — Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and other Colorado law enforcement agencies are preparing to increase DUI enforcement as thousands of motorcyclists gear up to ride across state lines.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said several Colorado agencies will unite to keep impaired drivers and riders off Colorado roads during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota from Thursday through Aug. 15.
During the Sturgis event, there will be increased DUI safety patrols as motorcyclists from across the country pass through Colorado, CDOT said.
Last year, 308 DUI arrests were made during the same enforcement period.
“If you are planning to drink, you also need to plan a sober ride,” CSP Chief Col. Matthew C. Packard said. “We want Coloradans to enjoy summer activities but also remember to never drive impaired. Rally participants have a long ride ahead of them, and everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings at all times on the road.”
CDOT said that while Sturgis riders will be traveling day and night on their way to South Dakota, most impaired crashes tend to occur at night.
A 2023 CSP report shows that from January 2019 to April 2023, most impaired fatal, injury and property crashes occurred from 6 p.m. to 1:59 a.m.
“With more people on our roads during the rally, it’s especially important to drive sober or plan a safe ride home,” CDOT Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk said. “It is up to all motorists and riders to remember the consequences and dangers of getting behind the wheel or handlebars under the influence.”
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