Colorado State Patrol uses drunk goggles to simulate driving under the influence
The Colorado State Patrol says driving under the influence and getting caught will change your life for the worse. Troopers are reminding drivers that when driving drunk or high, they could hurt or kill someone or themselves, and even cause property damage. In 2024, troopers filed 3,806 DUI charges. So far in 2025, troopers have filed 2,898 DUI charges.
CBS Colorado's First Alert Traffic Tracker Reporter Brian Sherrod met up with troopers to discuss the importance of never driving drunk or high. Troopers turned their parking lot into an obstacle course for Sherrod to wear "drunk" goggles. Each set of goggles was stronger than the last. Sherrod wore them while pedaling a DUI cart around cones.
The first set of goggles makes the rider feel the effects after having a beer or two. This is a blood alcohol concentration level of .05 to .08. Sherrod did not hit any cones but swerved a little bit.
The second set of goggles makes the rider feel the effects of having six to eight beers. This is a BAC of .15 to .25. Sherrod hit six cones and swerved a lot more.
The third set of goggles makes the rider feel the effects of having more than eight beers. This is a BAC of .26 to .35. Troopers say that at this point, a driver would be totally wasted and would need to seek medical attention. Sherrod crashed head-on into eight cones and got stuck on most of them.
Troopers say each of the cones in this obstacle course is an example of a person you could have hit and killed when driving under the influence.
"Every single one of those cones that you hit could've been a person, could've been a car or even a light pole," Trooper Hunter Matthews, Colorado State Patrol. "With these levels going up, it becomes extremely more dangerous. The cones are there as a placeholder for making a decision on someone's life."
Troopers say that while Sherrod was pedaling, they looked out for swerving, hitting cones, and pedaling erratically. This is what troopers look for from actual drivers, especially at night.
"Your reactionary time is going to drop drastically, so if there is a pedestrian in the roadway, you are not going to have time to react to that pedestrian standing there," Matthews said. "Nine times out of 10, you are going to hit that person, especially if they're not paying attention to you."
Troopers say to always have a plan for getting home, even if you only had one drink or smoked a little bit of marijuana. Uber, the buddy system, and walking are options for getting home safely.
If you don't and get pulled over, you face at least $10,000 in court fees and fines, have your vehicle impounded, license suspended for at least a year, and even face jail time and community service.
If you ever see someone driving under the influence, troopers ask that you call 911 right away.
