As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Colorado Department of Transportation released a new public service announcement — in English and in Spanish — featuring local Denver rock en tu idioms band, iZCALLi. The band joined CDOT, and the Colorado State Patrol, in raising awareness among the state’s younger Hispanic drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.
Alcohol-related crashes are a serious problem in Colorado. Each year, more than 26,000 people are arrested for DUI, and over 150 people are killed in alcohol-related traffic crashes. According to a 2015 CDOT survey, 70 percent of males age 21-35 believe they are safe to drive after one to two drinks, yet one-third of traffic fatalities in Colorado are alcohol related. In Colorado, Hispanics comprise over 21 percent of the state’s population with a median age of 27 compared to a median age of 40 for Non-Hispanic Whites. Fifty-three percent of the state’s Hispanic households speak some level of Spanish, with 47 percent speaking only English.