DENVER (KDVR) — Out of all the cities in Colorado, Aurora ranks the highest in impaired-related car accident deaths.
The Colorado Department of Transportation recorded the number of people killed in impaired-related accidents this year. From the start of the year up to early October, Aurora ranks significantly higher than any other city in the entire state of Colorado.
This graph includes all the cities with impaired-related car accident deaths. The rest of the cities in Colorado have zero deaths for the year.
Aurora is one of the biggest cities in Colorado, but not the biggest with both Denver and Colorado Springs having a larger population than Aurora. Still, Aurora almost doubles the number of deaths in the two larger cities.
While Aurora’s death toll is the highest for this year, impaired drivers aren’t just a problem in Aurora.
On Oct. 19, CDOT tweeted that there have been 4,131 DUI arrests this year during DUI enforcement periods. These numbers are only from the enforcement periods, which take place in certain areas during holidays and other events.
CDOT notes that even after one or two drinks, you might exceed Colorado’s DUI limit, which is 0.05% blood alcohol content for driving while ability impaired and 0.08% for driving under the influence.
Even if you’re below the legal limit, you can still be arrested if an officer notices signs of impairment. According to CDOT, the only way to ensure you’re safe to drive is if your blood alcohol content is zero.
Especially during the Halloween festivities, make sure you have a sober ride home.