CDOT Launches Moving Towards Zero Deaths

Moving Towards Zero Deaths logoAbout the Program

CDOT has launched a new era for transportation safety in Colorado. In 2015, Governor Hickenlooper joined state and national officials to announce Moving Colorado Towards Zero Deaths, which sets a bold and visionary goal of zero deaths for every individual, family and community using Colorado’s transportation network. “We are announcing this ambitious goal to dramatically reduce transportation deaths in Colorado as we know that even one death is one too many," said Governor Hickenlooper. “This new vision serves as a wake-up call to any who have become complacent about the number of traffic deaths in Colorado each year."  In 2014, there were 486 traffic deaths in Colorado, according to preliminary estimates. 

Moving Towards Zero Deaths is a core value of the state’s new Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which provides innovative and data-driven approaches to improving highway safety. The plan leverages the success of safety programs statewide to decrease fatalities, serious injuries and crashes on Colorado’s roadways.  The strategies in this new safety plan show immense promise in helping Colorado reach zero deaths. To demonstrate and measure progress, the new vision sets realistic interim goals, including reducing fatalities from 548 in 2008 to 416 by 2019. 

The campaign includes a new partners program that certifies safety initiatives administered by community allies to reach zero deaths.  The partner certification provides the zero deaths seal to any organization that meets certain criteria, including the implementation of a program that addresses at least one SHSP emphasis area. Explore the list of the organizations that have received their certification.

Towards Zero Deaths Initiative

The public service announcement (PSA) video introduced the Towards Zero Deaths initiative. The PSA vividly illustrates the pain and horror that so many families experience when they lose a loved one in a traffic crash. To date, the PSA has reached almost 100,000 people through social media channels. Check out the Towards Zero Deaths video on YouTube.

Strategic Transportation Safety Plan

The Strategic Transportation Safety Plan has been updated for 2020 to 2023. It is a statewide plan intended for all Colorado stakeholders involved with transportation safety, and replaces the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (2014 -2019). The plan guides all Colorado agencies and other stakeholders in taking action on improving transportation safety – specifically in areas of leadership, safety culture, driver behavior, and infrastructure. The plan incorporates a Zero Deaths philosophy, and has identified 15 key strategies to target Colorado’s high and critical priority safety issues. Our goal is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in Colorado by 15% by 2023.

Colorado is at the national forefront of traffic safety improvement. A 2012 study by the National Academies’ Transportation Research Board (TRB) showed Colorado far above the country in fatal crash reduction and effective use of state and federal roadway safety dollars. Between 2000 and 2008 Colorado reduced crash fatalities by 24%, far exceeding every other state in the nation. In recent years the number of fatalities has remained leveled or slightly increased.