672 People Killed On Colorado Roads In 2021; CDOT Blames 'Drivers Making Poor Decisions'
(CBS4) -- More than 670 people were killed on Colorado roads in 2021 – the most deaths in 19 years, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. And that number is expected to increase as CDOT continues to receive additional crash reports.
There were 246 fatalities involving impaired drivers in 2021 -- that's an increase of 16% from 2020.
"Drivers making poor decisions — whether it's speeding, being on their phones, or not buckling up — cause more than 90% of the fatal crashes on our roadways," said John Lorme, Director of Maintenance & Operations for CDOT.
In Colorado, unfortunately, seat belt use in the state still lags behind the national rate, officials said.
The state says worrisome trends are present in both rural and urban areas. The counties with the most road fatalities in 2021 were:
- El Paso = 77
- Adams = 66
- Denver = 65
- Jefferson = 50
- Arapahoe = 50
- Weld = 46
