CDOT declares Memorial Day to Labor Day the most dangerous

2017 was not a good year. There were 630 traffic fatalities last year in Colorado. That was up from the 608 in 2016 and is a 29% increase from the 488 in 2014. So far in 2018, 254 persons have lost their lives on Colorado highways. The bad news is that we're just now entering the most dangerous stretch of the year, the so-called "100 Deadliest Days." The months of June, July, and August are the three months with the highest fatality rate.

What's going on here? “We can’t lay the blame for the uptick on Colorado’s population growth,” said Michael Lewis, CDOT Executive Director.  “This comes down to poor choices many people make when driving, from not buckling up to driving impaired or using their phones.” You would think that winter would be worse. Not so, summer is more dangerous because of the increased amount of traffic, more motorcycles on the road, teen drivers, and more impaired drivers.

CDOT is pairing with Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies to implement multiple safety enforcement and outreach efforts across the state. Their focus will be watching for impaired drivers, cracking down on seat belt enforcement, child passenger safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving outreach efforts.

Buckle up, slow down, and don't drink and drive. Don't be a statistic this summer, Colorado's "100 Deadliest Days."

Credit: KRDO

More From 95 Rock