If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a drunk driving accident in Colorado, here’s what you need to know about how these wrecks happen, the kinds of injuries they cause, and the laws that shape what happens next.

Types of Drunk Driving Accidents

Here are the most common scenarios:

• Head-On Collisions: Impaired drivers are notorious for swerving into oncoming traffic. Whether they misjudge a curve or flat-out pass out at the wheel, the result is usually catastrophic. These crashes tend to happen at higher speeds, which means more severe injuries and higher medical costs.
• Rear-End Collisions: Alcohol dulls reaction time. When a driver isn’t paying attention—or can’t—rear-end accidents are common. These might seem less severe at first glance, but whiplash, concussions, and back injuries are frequent outcomes.
• T-Bone (Side-Impact) Collisions: Running red lights and blowing through stop signs happens more when someone’s been drinking. Side-impact crashes often lead to serious injuries, especially for the driver or passenger sitting closest to the point of impact.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: Impaired drivers have a hard time seeing what’s right in front of them. Pedestrians in crosswalks and cyclists sharing the road are at high risk, particularly at night. These crashes almost always lead to life-altering injuries—or worse.
• Single-Vehicle Accidents with Passengers: Sometimes the only vehicle involved is the one carrying the drunk driver—and their passengers. If you were a passenger in a drunk driving crash, you have rights too, even if you knew the driver had been drinking.

Common Injuries from Drunk Driving Accidents

If you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, you’re probably dealing with one or more of these injuries:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): From mild concussions to permanent brain damage, head injuries are common in high-impact crashes. Symptoms might not show up right away but can last a lifetime.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spinal cord might mean temporary numbness… or permanent paralysis. Even “minor” injuries here can change how you live your life day-to-day.
• Broken Bones and Fractures: Wrists, ribs, legs—you name it. These injuries are painful, take months to heal, and often require surgery or long-term physical therapy.
• Internal Organ Damage: Blunt force trauma from seatbelts or impact with the steering wheel can rupture organs and cause internal bleeding, sometimes without immediate symptoms.
• Soft Tissue Injuries: Whiplash, sprains, and muscle tears might not make headlines, but they can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility if ignored.

Colorado Laws That Apply to Drunk Driving Accidents

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI): Colorado law C.R.S. 42-4-1301 makes it illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. A DUI conviction doesn’t just lead to fines and jail time—it’s also strong evidence in a personal injury claim.
• Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI): Colorado also punishes drivers whose BAC falls between 0.05% and 0.08%. Under C.R.S. 42-4-1301(1)(g), impairment at this level can still establish negligence in a civil case.
• Dram Shop Liability: Under C.R.S. 12-47-801, bars, restaurants, and liquor stores that serve alcohol to someone visibly intoxicated—or to minors—can be held liable if that person causes an accident. There’s a one-year deadline from the date of the incident to file a dram shop claim in Colorado.
• Comparative Fault Rule: Colorado follows modified comparative fault under C.R.S. 13-21-111. If you’re found less than 50% at fault for the crash, you can recover damages. If you’re 50% or more at fault, you get nothing. Insurance companies love to exploit this rule—more on that later.