State agencies announce plans to address traffic safety in 2025
News Release
Agencias estatales anuncian sus planes de continuar el progreso en la seguridad en 2025 en español
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Statewide — Today, the Colorado Department of Transportation released preliminary data showing a 5% decrease in traffic fatalities on Colorado roadways in 2024 compared to 2023. While recent data is promising, CDOT emphasizes that even one life lost is too many and reaffirms its commitment to achieving zero deaths and serious injuries on the state’s roads.
The 2024 Colorado traffic death data includes (data is preliminary. A dashboard with all Colorado traffic fatality data can be found here):
- All traffic deaths - 684 (decrease of 5% from 2023)
- Passenger vehicle deaths - 371 (decrease of 10% from 2023)
- Motorcycle deaths - 162 (increase of 23% over 2023)
- Impaired driving deaths - 210 (decrease of 7% from 2023)
- Unbuckled seat belt deaths - 183 (decrease of 15% from 2023)
- Pedestrian deaths - 120 (decrease of 12% from 2023)
- Bicycle deaths - 14 (decrease of 30% from 2023)
- Construction zone deaths - 31 (increase of 94% over 2023)
To address traffic safety in construction zones, CDOT will launch a Speed Safety Camera Program to reduce crashes involving excessive speed. As part of the Revised Statue, Speed Safety Cameras will be installed to increase safety for law enforcement officers and CDOT maintenance crews, help reduce congestion that may result from traffic stops, and more. Speed Safety Cameras are estimated to reduce fatalities and injuries by 20 to 37%.
September was the worst month of 2024 for traffic deaths with 84 people killed in a single month.
“While it’s promising to see a reduction in fatalities on our roadways these last two years, we continue to see careless and reckless driving behaviors on our roadways. It takes all of us to make Colorado a safe place for motorists and pedestrians to travel,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Don’t put others at risk. Think about the convenience your license affords you every day. It's worth driving sober, putting down distractions and driving the speed limit. If you fail to make these choices, Colorado law enforcement remains dedicated to removing impaired drivers from our roads and issuing citations to drivers who are speeding, using a cell phone or otherwise being unsafe.”
Despite improvements, there was an increase among motorcyclists and construction zone deaths last year. In 2024, 162 motorcyclists lost their lives, marking a 23% increase over the previous year and accounting for 24% of all traffic deaths. Deaths in construction zones resulted in 31 lives lost, up from 16 the year before. Additionally, a third (210) of fatalities involved an impaired driver, and there were 183 unrestrained fatalities, half of all passenger vehicle traffic deaths.
In 2024, the highest fatality numbers were in the following counties:
- Adams – 84 (increase of 38% over 2023)
- El Paso – 78 (no increase or decrease — consistent with 2023 fatalities)
- Weld – 67 (increase of 20% over 2023)
- Denver – 61 (decrease of 21% from 2023)
- Arapahoe – 55 (decrease of 19% from 2023)
- Jefferson – 54 (increase of 13% over 2023)
- Larimer – 35 (decrease of 19% from 2023)
The cities with the highest fatalities last year were:
- Denver – 61 (decrease of 21% from 2023)
- Colorado Springs – 47 (decrease of 2% from 2023)
- Aurora – 45 (decrease of 29% from 2023)
- Pueblo - 21 (decrease of 9% from 2023)
- Lakewood – 21 (increase of 5% over 2023)
- Thornton – 18 (increase of 157% over 2023)
- Fort Collins – 14 (increase of 8% over 2023)
- Greeley – 14 (increase of 27% over 2023)
In an effort to protect motorists in Colorado, CDOT and CSP have set the goal of reducing the number of traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 22.5% by fiscal year 2027, compared to the same month in fiscal year 2023. Strategies to accomplish this goal encompass Safe Roads, Safe People, Safe Driving, Safety Culture and Post Crash Care. Additionally, CDOT plans efforts this year to improve motorcycle safety by encouraging helmet use, support enforcement programs aimed at impaired drivers and establish speed limits that ensure the safety of all road users.
“Having the ability to safely walk, bike, or drive in their communities and throughout the state impacts Coloradans’ health, education, and economic well-being,” said Ned Calonge, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment chief medical officer. “Safe roads and highways allow Coloradans to travel to work, meet with friends, walk to parks, get their kids to school, or simply go to the store for groceries.”
In 2024, CDOT launched a new awareness campaign called Shift into Safe, which raises awareness about seat belt safety, distracted driving, child passenger safety and more.
"Colorado has some of the most robust, straightforward Slow Down, Move Over laws in the country – and still law enforcement officers, emergency roadside technicians, CDOT crews, and all the folks who keep Colorado moving face extreme peril at the roadside every, single day," said Skyler McKinley, Regional Director of Public Affairs for AAA. "Let's make 2025 the year without tragic headlines about our highway heroes: slow down, move over, put the phone away, and look out for the people who always look out for you."
New 2025 laws aimed at reducing crashes in the state include the Colorado Hands-Free Law which prohibits the use of hand-held phones while driving, though hands-free accessories are permitted. Penalties for violating the law start at $75. In addition, Colorado’s child restraint system law has been updated for 2025. The changes include booster seat use until 9 years old; rear-facing car seat use until 2 years old and under 40 pounds; and mandatory seat belt use until 18 years old. More information on the Colorado Child Passenger Safety Laws can be found at CarSeatsColorado.com.
Finally, enforcement of weaving in and out of Express Lanes is being expanded in 2025. Drivers who enter and exit Express Lanes outside of designated areas in the following corridors will face $75 fines or more on the following roadways: Central 70 (between I-25 and Chambers Road); I-25 South Gap (between Larkspur and Monument); and US 36 corridors.
Crash Not Accident
Note to reporters: Crashes are no accident — they are preventable. We would appreciate you saying 'crash' instead of 'accident' when reporting.
