Colorado’s motorists have good reason to exercise caution when traveling the state’s roadways, as traffic fatalities continued to rise in 2017. While most the state’s traffic deaths occurred in the Front Range, with many happening in and around cities including Denver and Boulder, more rural areas and counties, too, saw an uptick.
Per the Denver Post, there were 615 fatalities on Colorado’s roads as of Dec. 27, 2017, compared with 608 traffic fatalities the year prior. In 2016, the number of Colorado traffic deaths climbed higher than it had in a decade, and this year’s numbers indicate a continuing trend. Just what is causing the increase in traffic fatalities?
Part of the problem is likely due to the fact that Colorado’s population continues to increase, and more people on the roads typically means more accidents. Other factors likely contributing to the rise include drivers using substances before getting behind the wheel, and drivers failing to wear seatbelts when driving and riding in vehicles. Also worth noting is that certain months appear to be more deadly for Colorado drivers than others, with June, and then July, seeing the most roadway fatalities.
Per the Colorado Department of Transportation, the seatbelt issue is a serious one, with and it has been for some time. In 2016, nearly half of those who lost their lives on Colorado’s roadways were not wearing seatbelts at the time of their accidents, and 16 percent of all Colorado drivers report not wearing seatbelts regularly. Furthermore, about 33 percent of all traffic fatalities that same year involved alcohol, accounting for 196 traffic deaths.
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