More than 600 people have died on Colorado roads in 2017 and there are four primary reasons why.

Last time I checked there had been 615 fatalities on Colorado roads in 2017, make it the second consecutive year the state has seen more than 600 deaths. We haven't seen this many fatalities since 2005. The question is  'why?"

According to CDOT, nearly every Colorado highway fatality is due to four risky behaviors.

  • Not wearing a seatbelt
  • Speeding
  • Driving Impaired
  • Driving distracted

What you will notice is that as the driver of a vehicle you have the ability to control all four of these factors. While there is nothing that can absolutely guarantee your safety on the road - each of us does have the ability to reduce the chances of having a fatal accident.

Risky behavior not only affects you, but it also has impacts others. Sometimes people are killed in accidents through absolutely no fault of their own. Sometimes it is just a matter of circumstances, and sometimes it's due to the carelessness of another driveway.

Nonetheless, it is something to ponder as we head into the holiday weekend. As sure as I am sitting here writing this today, there will be families in our state who will be devasted this weekend by the loss of loved ones in a car accident.

The advice is simple. Don't drink and drive, wear your seatbelt, obey the speed limit, and keep your hands and eyes off your cell phone while you are behind the wheel. Let's all do our part to help ensure that everyone makes it to the new year.

 

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