Dating back to 1938, Clarence “Pappy” Hoel, his wife, Pearl, and the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club began the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota. That year there were nine participants and 200 spectators.

Now, the rally has grown into six digits, with most attendees in 2015 at an estimated 750,000. And with the growth has come a heightened effort to prevent crashes on the road while attendees ride to the annual Sturgis Rally.

From Aug. 3-15, an increase in law enforcement will be prepared for motorcyclists traveling through Colorado.

The Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies have united to establish an increase in DUI enforcement, including the Cortez Police Department.

According to a CDOT news release, Colorado recorded 4,644 impaired crashes that occurred overnight since 2019, mostly between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Last year, 308 DUI arrests happened in Colorado while the Sturgis Rally took place.

Integral to the Heat is On campaign that executes road safety while national holidays and large public events occur, increased enforcement periods may include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty.

“If you are planning to drink, you also need to plan a sober ride,” Col. Matthew C. Packard, CSP Chief said in a news release. “We want Coloradans to enjoy summer activities but also remember to never drive impaired. Rally participants have a long ride ahead of them, and everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings at all times on the road.”