The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDoT) has reported that approximately 672 traffic fatalities occurred on the state’s streets in 2021. This number is roughly 8% higher than 2020, and it is the highest traffic death count in the state since 2002. In response to the harrowing news, officials are trying to figure out what could have caused such a rise, especially when it was first predicted that car accidents would go down as the pandemic went on.

Not to add to the tragedy of the situation, but Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew Packard mentioned that the final count could exceed 700 fatalities. It typically takes some months into a new year to compile traffic accident data from the previous, so the current number is likely too low. It is also worth noting that about 20% of those fatalities were suffered by motorcyclists and bicyclists.

What caused so many car traffic accidents and fatalities in Colorado last year? The leading theory is that distracted driving and drunk driving have gotten worse again. Traffic and road conditions have not worsened dramatically in just one year, so the deaths cannot be fully blamed on such circumstances. Instead, humor error and the poor decision to drive unsafely must be the main driving force behind this increase.

(For more information about this recent Colorado traffic fatality report, you can click here to view a full article from Colorado Public Radio.)

How You Can Help Keep Colorado Roads Safe

Do you want to make sure that the roads of Colorado are as safe as they can be whenever you’re on them? You have to do your part in making them that way by always driving responsibly. Never drink and drive. Never distract yourself while driving, which includes putting away the smartphone and minimizing conversations you have with passengers.

If everyone truly prioritizes safe, responsible, and defensive driving, then the vast majority of auto accidents will simply never happen. That’s a goal that we can all agree is worth pursuing.