The holiday season is associated with having fun and attending gatherings with friends and family members. Many of these will have alcohol, so it’s imperative that anyone who plans on drinking has a safe way to get home.

Law enforcement officials, including the Colorado State Patrol, are increasing their efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road. The first round of holiday DUI enforcement has already started and will continue through the end of November. Two more rounds are expected to occur closer to Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Increased traffic stops and sobriety checkpoints

The increased efforts mean that officers will be watching closely for signs that a driver is impaired. This includes actions like stopping suddenly without cause and swerving between lanes. Officers are likely to conduct traffic stops if they see anything that meets the standard of reasonable suspicion.

There will also be more sobriety checkpoints set up as a result of the increased efforts. These can involve officers stopping every vehicle that tries to come through the checkpoint, but some won’t stop every vehicle. Sobriety checkpoints are legal as long as there’s a formula in place for stopping motorists. That formula can be something, such as stopping every fifth car, but can’t rely on factors like race or gender to determine which vehicles to stop.

If you end up with a DUI charge this holiday season, make sure you review your options for a defense immediately. Taking the time to explore these early may help you to determine how to proceed. Remember that you have rights, so having someone on your side who’s familiar with the applicable laws in Colorado is important.