CDOT’s distracted driving display at Stanley Marketplace shares true stories from injured Coloradans

On April 14, CDOT unveiled a life-size car dashboard display at Stanley Marketplace that allows people to look through the windshield and experience the true stories of people injured or killed in distracted driving crashes. Visitors are encouraged to stop and view the stories at the display or scan a QR code to hear from the victims themselves at https://www.codot.gov/safety/distracteddriving/victims.

“Distracted Driving continues to be a dangerous issue on Colorado roads,” said CDOT Communications Manager Sam Cole. “An average of 42 crashes a day involve a distracted driver and the consequences can be truly life-changing. This display aims to educate drivers on the devastating impacts that distracted driving can have on our roads.”

Designed to look like the front seat of a car, visitors can stand behind the steering wheel and look through the windshield, just as if they were driving. Instead of the road ahead, they will see what they should be focused on while driving: real people, with real stories of grief. A screen behind the windshield will highlight the stories of four distracted driving victims, each of whom has been personally impacted by the actions of a distracted driver.

CDOT’s Distracted Driving Victims Display will remain at Stanley Marketplace through the end of April as part of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The display represents one of many efforts CDOT is embracing to get the word out about Distracted Driving this month through its Distraction Reactions campaign. Coffee sleeves and window clings can be found in coffee shops statewide while digital ads prompt viewers to rethink their distracted driving behaviors and consider the reactions of those around them. Partner organizations and individuals are also invited to share educational materials through their own channels.

“Every time I see a distracted driver my first thought is to get as far away from them as possible,” said Susan Dane, founder of Coloradans Organized for Responsible Driving (CORD). “My second thought is to ask: is it worth it? I lost two friends to a distracted driver, there’s no reason for more lives to be lost due to distracted driving.”