No walking while impaired in Colorado

By Rx MaryJane on December 22, 2014 • ( 0 )

Hey Colorado! Did you know that it’s illegal to walk home from a bar (or elsewhere) if you’re too impaired to drive? Unless, that is, it’s on the same block as your destination.

I got this from a CDOT (Colorado Dept. of Transportation) representative the other day in a discussion about alternatives to driving if you’re impaired. He said that it’s illegal to be on the roadway if you’re impaired, even if you’re walking. If you stay on the sidewalk, you’re okay. But as soon as you step out onto the street or roadway, you’re breaking the law. Technically, someone needs to pick you up and escort you home.

This presents a particular problem for areas like mine that are without sidewalks. Technically, I can’t walk from my house to my next-door neighbor’s house because in order to get around the fence, I have to step out onto the road. Living near a college campus, I watch students wander from party to party during spring break or Ranger Week, often getting stopped by law enforcement.

So if you thought you were doing the right thing by choosing not to drive home, but instead to walk home if you’re drunk or high, you could still get in trouble. You might not get cited for Driving Under the Influence, but apparently you can get charged for Walking Under the Influence (or something like that).

I’ve searched, but I don’t find any of this information on the CDOT web site. So I’m taking it at face value according to what I was told. Sure would be nice if they would share this information with the public.

Remember, DUI also applies to marijuana in Colorado if you’re above the 5ng blood limit for THC.