The Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will be out in force through the New Year’s holiday to crack down on impaired driving.

Last year, state troopers responded to 15 crashes, five of which resulted in fatalities, on New Year’s Eve, according to the Colorado State Patrol. Colorado law enforcement made 207 arrests for driving under the influence during last year’s New Year’s Eve enforcement period.

“Driving under the influence — whether you’ve consumed alcohol or cannabis — puts you at risk of a DUI arrest or crash,” Colorado State Patrol Col. Chief Matthew Packard said in a statement.

Even one or two drinks can be enough to impair someone’s ability to drive and, in Colorado, even a blood alcohol content less than 0.05% can result in an arrest for driving under the influence if an officer observes signs of impairment, according to the State Patrol. 

Colorado also has an expressed consent law, which increases the penalties for drivers who refuse to provide a breath or blood test when arrested for driving under the influence.

So far in 2025, 223 people have died in Colorado in crashes that involved impaired drivers, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation news release. The state expects to surpass more than 16,000 arrests for driving under the influence by the end of the year.

“That’s 223 lives cut short, families affected and friends lost,” CDOT Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk said in a statement. “If you plan to drink, use a ride-share service, public transportation or designated driver to get home safely.”