A DUI can impact your life
Last year, Colorado State Troopers arrested 3,803 people for drunk driving. While marijuana, prescription drugs, and other illegal substances were used, the most common substance used was alcohol. Last year, 61% (2,320) of those arrests were attributed to alcohol use. A further 15.5% (592) of these arrests were for alcohol combined with marijuana or other drugs.
“The penalties set by the court and the Department of Motor Vehicles Division are clear and serious in preventing drivers from driving while intoxicated again,” said Colonel Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Word spreads, and a DUI can have other consequences, including how people are treated in other aspects of their lives.”
Some of the consequences of a first-time DUI in Colorado include a nine-month license suspension, alcohol education/treatment, and the use of an ignition interlock device for up to nine months after regaining driving privileges.
“The jump starter isn’t discreet, and many people wouldn’t be comfortable getting into a vehicle with someone who needs it,” Colonel Packard explains. “This device isn’t meant to embarrass the driver; it’s for safety. Drunk driving accounts for 30% of all traffic fatalities in Colorado. This device prevents someone from making that horrible decision twice.”
The ignition interlock device has proven successful in reducing drivers from repeating the bad decision of driving while intoxicated. From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reported 75,790 ignition interlocks in our state. Currently, the DMV is monitoring 35,552 ignition interlocks in Colorado.
For additional information, visit us online at Colorado State Patrol or follow us on X, Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.
Source: Colorado State Patrol
