What should have been a reduction in fatal car accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in the opposite?
In 2020, Colorado crime rates decreased year over year, meanwhile, fatal car accidents increased.
Over the last five years, fatal crashes in Colorado have increased. Most officials expected car accidents to reduce during the pandemic because more people were staying home.
Unfortunately to everyone's surprise, we are currently at an all-time high.
As a result, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol, and Colorado Springs Police Department held a joint press conference to warn the public about the 50% increase in traffic deaths.
Colorado Fatal Crashes Reach an All-time High
In 2020, the Colorado state patrol responded to 268 fatal crashes. Most of which were caused by driving under the influence, lane violations, and speeding.
From 2010-2013, the average number of fatal car accidents was 420.75. In 2017, four years later the average number of fatal car accidents rose to 600. Fast forward four more years to 2021 and the average is now 617.
The increase from 2010 could be from the population surge we’ve seen migrate to Colorado in the past decade, but that still doesn’t explain the spike of accidents during the pandemic.
It is essential for Colorado drivers to focus on safe driving so they can decrease the number of fatal accidents in the coming years.
How to Avoid Accidents in Colorado
Driving laws are in place to protect drivers and their passengers.
You aren’t allowed to speed because you can easily lose control of the vehicle, and you have to use your blinker when turning to let other drivers know your changing lanes.
These laws decrease the chances of you getting in an accident. Unfortunately, when people don’t follow the law, accidents happen and sometimes they are fatal.
Most of the fatal crashes investigated by the Colorado State Patrol were caused by driver’s making personal choices not to follow the law.
The police department chief mentioned during the press conference: "If you look at all the causation's, we’ve talked about today that cause all those accidents, those are all personal choices..." "It’s a personal choice to run a red light. It’s about a personal choice to drive 100 miles an hour down a roadway..."
If these accidents were a result of road or weather conditions, it would be understandable, but they’re not. Fatal accidents are happening because people aren’t considering other drivers.
Colorado drivers need to be more disciplined and make better, safer decisions when they’re behind the wheel.
Personal Choices that Lead to Accidents:
Inattentiveness to driving: Involves speaking on a phone while driving, eating, or texting.
Speeding: Going above the lawful speed is a common reason why an accident will end up with a fatal result.
Aggressive driving behaviors: May include lane violations, following too closely, failure to yield right of way, improper passing, disregarding stop signs, and driving on the wrong side of the road.
If Coloradans can pay more attention to the road, moderate their speed, and drive cautiously, the amount of fatal accidents will decrease.
Safety Tips for Colorado Drivers
The state of Colorado has provided a few safety tips for drivers to avoid accidents including:
Slow Down
When you speed you lose your ability to stop short, and accidents are proven more fatal at higher speeds.
Avoid Tailgating
Tailgating is the act of riding too close to the car in front of you. It is important to always keep a safe distance between cars because tailgating is the number one cause of rear-end accidents.
Keep an Eye Out for Construction Crews
It is essential to always keep an eye out for construction crews, especially in the evenings. This is because it can be hard to see construction crews on the side of the road. Typically this is marked by red or orange construction cones and signs. By being aware that crews are out, you can help to avoid a deadly accident.
Respect Road Signs
Road signs exist to keep a flow of traffic. You might think that rolling through a stop sign is not a big deal, but if you do not respect the road signs you increase your risk of accidents.
Obey Flaggers
Flaggers are there to help you and keep you safe. Have respect for your fellow citizens and their position.
Stay Alert and Avoid Distractions
It was found that 20% of car crashes are caused by fatigue. Rather than hope you make it home while driving tired, give yourself a bit of extra rest next time you get on the road.
Stay With the Flow of Traffic
Although you may want to speed ahead of the group of cars driving alongside you, it is important to remember that you are all going to get there at the same time. This means avoiding driving too fast or too slow is important, staying with the flow of traffic.
Plan Your Drive Ahead of Time
Having your route mapped out can help you to be more prepared for what is to come on the road ahead.
Wrongful Death Car Accidents in Colorado
Wrongful death car accidents can be devastating for all parties involved. Although they can be prevented by focusing on safe driving, accidents do happen.
Losing a loved one in a car accident is extremely difficult, but you aren’t alone. An experienced Colorado wrongful death attorney can get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Attorneys at Anderson Hemmat have helped hundreds of Colorado residents through Wrongful Death Cases caused by no fault of their own. If you want justification and compensation, we can help!
Contact the Colorado Auto Accident Attorney's at Anderson Hemmat for a free case evaluation. We can help you get the outcome you are looking for in a wrongful car accident death suit.
