A new twist on the old “Heat is On” campaign may have put a dent in drunk-driving related incidents and deaths over the Labor Day holiday.
Law enforcement agencies in Colorado and the Colorado State Patrol say 1,342 people were arrested for driving under the influence during the Aug. 16-Sept. 3 Labor Day enforcement period. There were also nine alcohol-related fatalities during that same period, according to preliminary reports.
This is compared to 1,508 arrests and 13 alcohol-related fatalities reported during the 2012 Labor Day Heat is On campaign.
“There are probably plenty of factors that played a role in the reduced numbers,” Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Emily Wilfong said. “But we’d like to think this new approach we took this year may have played a role.”
That included a in the state’s message about drunk driving. A new tag line — “Drink and Don’t Drive” — was used to emphasize the reality that people will drink but that they should use a designated driver, a cab or mass transit to get them safely home.
A mobile “Drink and Don’t Drive” billboard traveled around Denver and Fort Collins, hitting hot spots such as the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Colorado Rocky games and the Tour de Fat in Fort Collins.
The campaign also used an especially unique outreach tool: talking urinal cakes that play a 15-second audio message encouraging male bar patrons to avoid driving while impaired.
“We hope people heard this new message and responded to it,” said Wilfong.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907, mwhaley@denverpost.com or twitter.com/montewhaley
