Where in Colorado You're Most Likely to Die on Road, Be Killed by Drunk Driver

According to new data released by the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado traffic fatalities are up 29 percent since 2014, with casualties last year reaching their highest total since 2004. In addition, CDOT has shared data about the counties and cities in the state with the most traffic deaths overall and separate statistics about the incidents that involved an impaired driver. Many but not all of the places with the worst figures can be traced to the Denver metro area.

By Michael Roberts

February 1, 2018

Thinkstock file photo

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

According to new data released by the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado traffic fatalities are up 29 percent since 2014, with casualties last year reaching their highest total since 2004. In addition, CDOT has shared data about the counties and cities in the state with the most traffic deaths overall and separate statistics about the incidents that involved an impaired driver. Many, but not all, of the places with the worst figures can be traced to the Denver metro area.

In 2017, CDOT reveals, there were 630 traffic fatalities in Colorado, up 4 percent from the previous year, when 608 people lost their lives on the state's roads and highways.

Moreover, many of these deaths could have been prevented. Colorado ranks 36th in the United States in terms of seat-belt usage; 16 percent of drivers here don't buckle up, CDOT maintains. Given this proclivity, it's no surprise that 211 unbelted deaths in passenger vehicles took place during 2017.

Not all the news was bad. Motorcycle fatalities actually declined last year, falling from 125 deaths in 2016 to 101 in 2017, and bicycle casualties remained flat at sixteen during both of the past two years — though the numbers were lower in 2015 (fourteen) and 2014 (ten).

click to enlarge

This CDOT graphic shows that traffic fatalities in Colorado hit their highest total since 2004.

Colorado Department of Transportation

However, pedestrian deaths are up dramatically, from 64 in 2015 to a stunning 93 last year.

Moreover, fatalities involving a driver impaired by either alcohol or drugs (the stats don't differentiate between the substances) went up 16 percent from 2016 to 2017, when 197 people died under such circumstances. And there were fifteen deaths in construction zones, more than double the seven that took place in 2016.

For more details, we've taken a deep dive into two other documents issued by CDOT, pertaining to 2017 deaths by county and city. In the former category, Denver finishes in fourth place in terms of raw figures, but it would actually be considerably lower if measured on a per capita basis. Far worse digits were registered in two northern Colorado counties and one in the state's second-largest metro area. City-wise, however, Denver scores no points for pride.

Click to access Colorado Department of Transportation data revealing fatal accidents in Colorado during 2017 by county and by city. Continue for separate countdowns of the ten counties and cities with the most fatalities last year.

A truck involved in a July 2017 crash on Interstate 70 near the 40 East exit that killed two people and injured six.

YouTube file photo

FATAL ACCIDENTS IN COLORADO DURING 2017 BY COUNTY

Number 10: Douglas County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 18
Number of people killed: 18
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 5
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 5

Number 9: Boulder County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 27
Number of people killed: 30
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 4
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 5

Number 8: Pueblo County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 33
Number of people killed: 34
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 11
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 11

Number 7: Larimer County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 35
Number of people killed: 36
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 18
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 18

Number 6: Jefferson County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 36
Number of people killed: 42
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 12
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 17

Number 5: Arapahoe County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 42
Number of people killed: 45
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 16
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 16

Number 4: Denver County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 45
Number of people killed: 46
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 20
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 20

Number 3: Weld County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 58
Number of people killed: 63
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 18
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 22

Number 2: Adams County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 60
Number of people killed: 64
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 24
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 25

Number 1: El Paso County

Fatal accidents in 2017: 69
Number of people killed: 76
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 25
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 29

A photo from a multi-care pileup on Interstate 25 in March 2014 that killed one and injured thirty.

Photo by Lori Midson

FATAL ACCIDENTS IN COLORADO DURING 2017 BY CITY

Number 10 (tie): Longmont

Fatal accidents in 2017: 6
Number of people killed: 7
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 1
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 1

Number 10 (tie): Grand Junction

Fatal accidents in 2017: 6
Number of people killed: 7
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 3
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 3

Number 8: Lakewood

Fatal accidents in 2017: 8
Number of people killed: 9
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 2
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 2

Number 7: Thornton

Fatal accidents in 2017: 9
Number of people killed: 11
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 3
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 4

Number 6 (tie): Greeley

Fatal accidents in 2017: 11
Number of people killed: 13
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 5
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 7

Number 6 (tie): Westminster

Fatal accidents in 2017: 11
Number of people killed: 11
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 6
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 6

Number 4: Pueblo

Fatal accidents in 2017: 16
Number of people killed: 16
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 6
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 6

Number 3: Aurora

Fatal accidents in 2017: 24
Number of people killed: 25
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 4
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 4

Number 2: Colorado Springs

Fatal accidents in 2017: 37
Number of people killed: 39
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 13
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 15

Number 1: Denver

Fatal accidents in 2017: 45
Number of people killed: 46
Impaired-related fatal accidents: 20
Number of people killed in impaired-related accidents: 20

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

Follow:

Facebook: 111180895657427

Twitter: @mikerobertscolo