Now, a new online tool offers data showing that driving under the influence of drugs is actually among the elements least likely to lead to an automobile-related death in Denver — although its risks are disproportionately higher among specific demographics.
That's among the takeaways from the Interactive Crash Map: Deadly Denver Drivers, developed by the folks at the Sawaya Law Firm.
The map features numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System for the years 2010-2014 — the most recent available. Each fatal crash in the Denver area is shown, along with place, date, total fatalities and contributing factors: "alcohol reported," "drug use reported," "distracted driving," "careless/inattentive driving," "aggressive driving," "reckless/negligent driving" and/or "failure to yield."
An example reads:
US-40 E COLFAX AVE @ N WABASH STJust as interesting is a graphic showing the number of deaths over that period due to each contributing factor broken down by age: 15-20, 21-34, 35-49, 50-64 and 65 and older. For instance, those between 21 and 34 account for the most fatalities in each category — although some are worse than others.
3/9/2014
Total Fatalities: 1
All Contributing Factors: Careless /Inattentive Driving
Way worse.
Continue to get the details about each of the seven major factors contributing to death on Denver roads from 2010-2014, ranked from the least to the most deadly. The countdown is followed by screen captures of the graphic and map. To try out the real things for yourself, click here.
Number 7: Distracted Driving (tie)
Fatalities 15-20 years: 2
Fatalities 21-34 years: 7
Fatalities 35-49 years: 2
Fatalities 50-64 years: 4
Fatalities 65 and older: 2
Total fatalities: 17
Number 7: Drug Use Reported (tie)
Fatalities 15-20 years: 4
Fatalities 21-34 years: 8
Fatalities 35-49 years: 5
Fatalities 50-64 years: 0
Fatalities 65 and older: 0
Total fatalities: 17
Number 5: Failure to Yield
Fatalities 15-20 years: 1
Fatalities 21-34 years: 6
Fatalities 35-49 years: 2
Fatalities 50-64 years: 3
Fatalities 65 and older: 6
Total fatalities: 18
Continue for more reasons behind Denver's deadliest crashes.
Number 4: Aggressive Driving
Fatalities 15-20 years: 7
Fatalities 21-34 years: 11
Fatalities 35-49 years: 6
Fatalities 50-64 years: 2
Fatalities 65 and older: 0
Total fatalities: 26
Number 3: Careless/Inattentive Driving
Fatalities 15-20 years: 4
Fatalities 21-34 years: 15
Fatalities 35-49 years: 9
Fatalities 50-64 years: 9
Fatalities 65 and older: 4
Total fatalities: 41
Number 2: Reckless/Negligent Driving
Fatalities 15-20 years: 10
Fatalities 21-34 years: 21
Fatalities 35-49 years: 7
Fatalities 50-64 years: 2
Fatalities 65 and older: 2
Total fatalities: 42
Number 1: Alcohol Reported
Fatalities 15-20 years: 6
Fatalities 21-34 years: 23
Fatalities 35-49 years: 10
Fatalities 50-64 years: 4
Fatalities 65 and older: 1
Total fatalities: 44
