Colorado's roads are seeing a slight improvement in safety, with an 8% decrease in road fatalities compared to the same time last year. However, distracted driving -- especially among drivers aged 25 to 44 -- continues to be a significant challenge, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) 2024 Driver Behavior Report.
The report, which surveyed 945 residents, highlighted alarming statistics about distracted driving. A majority of drivers (77%) admitted to using their phones while driving, and 73% reported eating or drinking beverages behind the wheel. Drivers aged 25–44 were the most likely to engage in these behaviors, with 54% picking up their phones to make calls and 53% reading messages in the past week.
Encouraging Trends in Speeding and Impairment
The report also showed promising trends in speeding and intoxicated driving. Sixteen percent of respondents admitted to speeding most or all the time, a 4% decrease from last year. Additionally, 57% of drivers said they never drive while intoxicated, and the majority (67%) understood the DUI risks of consuming alcohol within an hour of driving.
Among drivers surveyed, 19% admitted to driving within two hours of consuming alcohol, while 6% said they had used cannabis, and 3% had taken prescription medications. Public perception of enforcement was high, with 77% believing police can detect recent alcohol use and 60% confident in cannabis detection capabilities.
Seat Belt and Motorcycle Safety
Seat belt usage was another area of interest in the report. While 89% of respondents reported buckling up regularly, compliance dropped to 80% for trips under 2 miles. Seat belt use was more common among women (92%) compared to men (86%). Drivers of newer cars (91%) also showed higher compliance rates than those driving older vehicles.
Motorcycle safety data revealed that 62% of riders always wear helmets, and 73% possess a motorcycle endorsement. Encouragingly, 62% of drivers give motorcycles additional space when following them.
Crosswalk and Pedestrian Awareness
The report also assessed driver behaviors around pedestrians. Eighty-five percent of vehicles stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, but compliance drops to 45% in non-crosswalk areas, signaling room for improvement in pedestrian safety awareness.
Methodology
CDOT's findings were derived from a survey sent to 5,000 randomly selected residential addresses, with 945 responses collected via mail and online. The margin of error is ±4.1%.
