MillerCoors Encourages Coloradoans to Plan Ahead on New Year's Eve
Coloradans Urged to Plan Ahead to Avoid a DUI Over the Holidays
New Website offers tools to get home safely. DUI Crackdown begins Dec. 12th.
DENVER – With the holidays upon us, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP), MillerCoors and RTD have teamed up to help Coloradans plan ahead when celebrating with alcohol -- or expect to face serious consequences.
A new Website, www.PlanAheadColorado.com, offers Front Range residents numerous tools and information to help them enjoy the holidays responsibly including: a list of businesses offering $5 taxi vouchers to customers, options for overnight parking, RTD Park and Ride locations, information regarding free RTD rides on New Year’s Eve, and holiday party tips to ensure guests’ safety.
The Website launches as the CSP and law enforcement agencies across the state increase DUI enforcement throughout the holiday period. Law enforcement agencies will intensify their DUI patrols especially during “Office Party Weekend”, Dec. 12 -15, and around the New Year’s period, Dec. 31-Jan. 5.
“The holiday season is a festive time with a lot of parties and celebrations. Unfortunately, some party-goers make the costly decision to drive impaired and end up being arrested for DUI, or worse – killing or injuring themselves or others,” said Col. Mark Trostel, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “We encourage everyone to plan ahead by designating a sober driver, calling a taxi or taking public transportation. Don’t wait until you’ve been drinking to make critical decision that could cost you your life or significant expenses.”
To encourage responsible alcohol consumption decisions over the holidays, MillerCoors and CDOT are partnering with RTD, which is continuing its tradition of providing free light rail and bus service on New Year’s Eve. Also, several Front Range bars, restaurants and hotels will be handing out a limited supply of $5 taxi vouchers to patrons during the enforcement period to prevent drunk driving. The vouchers are valid for Freedom Cabs, Metro Taxi and Yellow Cab in Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder.
In addition, through MillerCoors’ “You Hold the Key. Never Drive Drunk” program, the company is helping to make sure everyone gets home safe by providing an additional 2,000 complimentary $5 cab vouchers for use with Yellow Cab in Denver.
“The Plan Ahead Colorado program helps people decide in advance and make arrangements for getting home safely to those who care about them,” said Kim Marotta, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for MillerCoors. “Drunk driving is completely preventable, and it is important that people take responsibility for their own safety on New Year’s Eve and every day of the year. This program is an easy option to help make the roads safer on this popular holiday.”
Participating businesses include:
The Celtic Tavern, Denver
The Celtic Tavern, Riverside Downs
Cherry Cricket, Denver
Delaney’s, Denver
Earl’s
Gaetano’s, Denver’
Goosetown Tavern, Denver
Governor’s Park, Denver
Grizzly Rose, Denver
Harpo’s, Boulder
Hyatt Regency Convention Center
Jet Hotel, Denver
Liquor Mart, Boulder
Lodo’s Bar and Grill, Denver
Lodo’s Bar and Grill, Westminster
Lodo’s Bar and Grill, Park Meadows
Mediterranean Grill, Boulder
Marriott City Center, Denver
Marriott Residence Inn, City Center
Nine75 Restaurant
Nitro Club, Boulder
Paramount Café, Denver
Pearl Street Grill, Denver
Phantom Canyon Brewing Co., CSpgs
Pinehurst Country Club
Purple Martini, Tabor Center
Rialto Café, Denver
Rock Bottom Brewery, CSpgs.
Rock Bottom Brewery, Denver
Rock Bottom Brewery, Park Meadows
Scotch Corner Pub, Boulder
Teddys, Denver
Thunder and Buttons, CSpgs.
Wazee Supper Club, Denver
Wicked Garden, Denver
Wynkoop, Denver
“Its important that local businesses take the initiative to make sure our customers are able to have a great time and to do it safely. There’s no reason we can’t do both,” said Darby Hapgood, Clubhouse Manager at Pinehurst Country Club. “When we saw this opportunity to offer taxi vouchers to party goers, we jumped on it, and we hope other area businesses will do the same.”
Planaheadcolorado.com also offers local businesses information on how they can participate in and purchase vouchers for the Plan Ahead campaign.
Additional supporters include:
The Arvada Chamber of Commerce Aurora Chamber of Commerce
Black Chamber of Commerce Boulder Chamber of Commerce
Boulder Downtown Association Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce
Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership Colorado Restaurant Association
Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Denver Pavilions Downtown Denver Partnership
Metro North Chamber of Commerce South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
West Chamber of Commerce
In December 2007, 32 people died in traffic crashes and 11 of those fatalities involved alcohol. During last year’s Office Party Weekend and New Year’s DUI enforcement periods, 771 people were arrested statewide for DUI.
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Editors Note: For more information on the DUI enforcement period and to view detailed enforcement plans by agency, visit www.dot.state.co.us/trafficsafety/ and click Reports on the header. Choose Enforcement Period Plans, select Office Party Weekend 2008 and click Report. To view DUI arrests totals after the enforcement period starts, click Reports on the header. Choose Heat is on! Enforcement, select Office Party Weekend 2008 and click View Report.