Colorado State Patrol is cracking down on the deadliest habit on Colorado roads – speeding.
Speed was the No. 1 cause of road fatalities last year, killing 237 people, more than impaired driving (215 deaths) and unbuckled crashes (189 deaths). Another 323 speeding crashes sent people to the hospital.
Why speed? Motorists tell troopers they have to get where they are going faster. But data shows speeding is not the best way to save time. A study from AAA Colorado found the average driver saves just 26 seconds by speeding. You would have to travel 100 miles at 80 miles per hour to trim only five minutes off your arrival time.
“Speeding puts you in a lose-lose situation and is never worth the gamble. Not only does speeding put you at risk of a ticket, but it also increases the likelihood of a crash,” Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, says in a statement. “Running late for work, school, an appointment or your next obligation should never be an excuse to speed or drive recklessly. Remember that speeding inevitably puts you and everyone else at a much greater risk of death or serious injury.”
A new report from CDOT, the 2025 Driver Behavior Report, shows 7 in 10 drivers speed at least some of the time on highways, and 5 in 10 speed through city streets. Speeding is also to blame for more cyclist fatalities in recent years, surging by 34% since 2016. The faster the car, the more likely a pedestrian will not survive.
“Speeding drivers put everyone on Colorado roads at risk, especially vulnerable road users like pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew says. “A common misconception is that speeding mainly occurs on highways, but the truth is, it happens on all roads. So, whether you’re on a highway, city street or rural mountain road, slow down and always watch for pedestrians. You could save a life.”
Earlier this month Grand County sheriff Brett Schroetlin announced a zero-tolerance policy for speeding and reckless passing in the wake of two fatal crashes, including one that killed a family of five on Highway 9 near Kremmling.