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April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distracted driving is an epidemic that plagues the roads in Colorado and beyond. Every year, thousands of people lose their lives because of distracted, inattentive and careless drivers. This is a highly preventable crash risk that all drivers have a responsibility to avoid. Unfortunately, statistics show that it is still a significant problem. Our car accident attorney in Denver is prepared to assist if you’ve been hurt in a preventable collision.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2023, 3,275 people were killed by distracted driving. This was a slight decrease (1 percent) from 3,308 recorded distracted driving deaths in 2022 and a 7 percent decrease from 3,521 deaths in 2021 (source: National Safety Council).
Statistics show that the number one cause of deadly distracted driving accidents is cell phone use. According to the NHTSA, typing or reading just one text message – looking at the phone for five seconds – is the equivalent of driving across a football field while blindfolded. Texting while driving is an enormous crash risk that is banned in Colorado and most other states.
The National Safety Council reports a decrease in handheld cell phone use among drivers in general, from about 4.6 percent in 2013 to 2.1 percent in 2022. However, distraction-related fatal collisions have increased by 4 percent since 2013. In 2022, 12.1 percent of distracted driving accidents involving cell phone use were fatal.
In Colorado, distracted driving is a major safety issue that is behind many reported automobile accidents each year – including catastrophic collisions involving vulnerable bicyclists and pedestrians. These crashes are most frequent in high-traffic areas, such as downtown Denver, and at dangerous intersections.
From 2012 to 2022, 718 people in Colorado lost their lives in accidents caused by distracted driving. In 2022 (the most recent year data is available), 69 deaths in the state were attributed to distracted driver behaviors. Over the past 10 years, 64 people on average have died annually in distracted driving accidents in Colorado.
According to a press release in March 2024, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) found that 77 percent of drivers in the state admitted to using their cell phones while driving. Colorado State Patrol troopers issued 13,252 citations for careless, improper or reckless driving and investigated 268 serious injury and fatal collisions involving distracted drivers.
The 2024 Driving Behavior Survey from CDOT found that drivers ages 25 to 44 are the most prone to distracted driving behaviors, particularly involving cell phone use and eating and drinking behind the wheel. Phone-related distractions generally decrease with age. However, drivers ages 18 to 24 were slightly less likely to use their cell phones while driving than those in the 25 to 44 age group.
It only takes a split second of distraction to result in a devastating or deadly car accident. If you get involved in a crash and suspect that the other driver was distracted by a cell phone, food or drinks, or other elements inside or outside of the vehicle, contact a Denver distracted driving accident attorney for a free consultation.
You may be entitled to financial compensation from the distracted driver’s car insurance provider. Contact Fang Accident Lawyers for a cost-free case review in Denver to learn more.