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Stepping up Colorado’s Approach to Combating Drunk Driving
Heading into the new year, our state continues to grapple with one of its deadliest problems — drunk and impaired driving. Despite significant efforts from various entities, fatalities involving intoxicated drivers continue to plague our roads. It’s clear that we must make Denver’s driving environment safer, and there are several ways we can do this.
A Grim Reminder – Drunk Driving Leads to High Traffic Fatalities
In 2024 alone, the state lost 190 individuals to drunk driving. These drivers never made it home to their families, leading to heartbreaking tragedies that could have been avoided.
Uniting Key Players to Battle Impaired Driving
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), law enforcement agencies, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and Uber have taken a crucial step by banding together to prevent further impaired driving. With federal funding, CDOT is compensating law enforcement officers for overtime spent on DUI enforcement. The need for sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and additional officers solely focused on getting impaired drivers off the roads has never been greater.
The Impactful Work of the Colorado Department of Transportation
CDOT’s ongoing effort to interview families who have lost loved ones to intoxicated driving is an attempt to humanize the cold statistics and campaign for safer roads. Sam Cole, Traffic Safety Manager for CDOT, champions this endeavour, emphasizing the importance of sharing these stories of loss and heartbreak caused by impaired drivers.
Reducing DUIs through Ride Share Discounts
MADD and Uber continue their partnership to provide a safe alternative to impaired driving. Users can receive a seven-dollar discount on their ride by entering the code SAFECO24 in the Uber app. A low-cost ride home is a small price to pay for the added assurance of making it home safely.
MADD’s Role and Support Resources
MADD remains an essential figure in the fight against drunk driving in Colorado. State Executive Director for MADD Colorado, Rebecca Green, emphasizes that planning ahead for a safe trip home should be everyone’s priority. Fortunately, should the worst happen, those affected by impaired driving accidents are not alone. MADD can offer much-needed resources for the victims of these tragic events.
Concluding Thoughts – Looking Ahead to a Safer 2025
Each of us has a role in creating a safe driving environment in Colorado. As we usher in 2025, let us be mindful of these critical efforts, supports, and tools available to us – from Uber’s partnership with MADD, CDOT’s initiatives, to law enforcement’s vigilant eye. The fight against drunk driving is everyone’s responsibility, and by making conscious choices, we can help ensure we all get to 2025 together.
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Originally Post From https://www.kktv.com/2025/01/01/colorado-organizations-offering-incentive-not-driving-impaired/
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