Reader: I Don’t Think I’ve Driven Once Here Without Seeing a Traffic Violation

Colorado has passed a host of laws in recent years intended to make the state’s roads safer, from banning hand-held cell phones while driving to allowing motorcycle lane filtering – but there is more work to be done, a new report suggests.

The state’s traffic safety laws are still “dangerously” inadequate for occupant protection, child passenger safety and young drivers, according to a national analysis by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released on December 5. Colorado received a “red light” rating in those three categories, and the state got a “yellow light” grade overall when all six categories were included.

And in their comments on the Westword Facebook and Instagram pages, readers cite plenty of other hazards on this state’s roads – aggravated by a lack of enforcement. Says Austin:

Walking even a mile in most suburb/urban areas of Colorado feels like an extreme sport.

Notes Benjamin:

 It’s amazing. Every day I drive on the freeway – be it 70, 76 or I-25 – and there is traffic due to an accident. And every day, the city of Denver proves that it has collectively learned nothing from it. Nothing at all. I’ve lived a lot of places and nowhere I’ve lived has this problem. Simply stunning.

Adds Tristian: 

Almost every time I drive around town for over ten minutes, I encounter a different maniac on the road going twice the speed limit. Especially on I-70 on Pena, there is always someone in a shitty car with expired temp tags (if anything) swerving through traffic.. Can’t y’all just be happy driving a little over the speed limit? Stop being wild.

Offers Ricardo:

Maybe enforce some laws? I see people running red lights at more than 60 percent of the red lights I come across. Cars with no or expired plates, obviously bald tires, one or zero working headlights….something’s got to give.

Adds Lauren:

I rarely say this, but the laws are severely lacking enforcement. I don’t think I’ve driven once here without seeing a traffic violation. Many people would have their license revoked in any other state.

Responds Jason: 

Have you all seen what driving looks like in other countries? That’s real danger.

Concludes Chris: 

The laws are just fine. We don’t take it driving seriously as a society.

What do you think of drivers in Denver? The enforcement actions (or lack thereof) by the Denver Police Department? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.