Just the same as every other state throughout the country, there are people in Colorado who enjoy celebrating the Fourth of July holiday with friends and family. Some people do so with alcohol, with a small number deciding to get behind the wheel after they have had too much to drink.

Colorado State Patrol troopers, along with local law enforcement agencies, arrested 296 people for drunk driving over the Fourth of July holiday this year. This is one time of the year when people are more prone to make the decision to drink and drive, which is why officers spent a lot of time watching for this over the long holiday weekend.

While some may look at police as spoiling their fun, authorities are simply trying to keep everybody safe during what is supposed to be a fun holiday.

According to the National Traffic Safety Administration, between the years of 2008 and 2012, 40 percent of traffic deaths on July 4 involved a drunk driver. By reducing the number of drunk drivers, it only makes sense that the number of fatalities would also decrease.

The state of Colorado is not stopping on the Fourth of July, however. Its The Heat Is On campaign targets 12 holidays and public events every year during which drinking and driving is likely to be more common.

Anybody who was charged with drunk driving over the holiday weekend, or any other time for that matter, will have to go through the legal process. Presenting a strong defense is necessary in order to hopefully minimize the penalties in such a case.

Source: The Durango Herald, "Drunken drivers nabbed over 4th" Jul. 16, 2014