Colorado pedestrian, bicyclist deaths jumped 78% in the last 10 years

Last year was the second-deadliest on record for Colorado pedestrians and bicyclists after were killed in crashes according to the Colorado State Patrol Pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in Colorado have increased since while voyager van deaths increased only during that time according to a state patrol news release We all share the road and that means we share the responsibility to follow the rules Col Matthew Packard chief of the Colorado State Patrol stated in the release Traffic laws are designed for everyone s safety Don t assume that other roadway users see you just because you see them Packard s warning comes after three pedestrians were killed in Denver crashes including two hit-and-runs and a bicyclist was fatally struck in Boulder all within eight hours of each other last week Sunday s pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities were preventable and should be a wake-up call for all of us Packard stated in the release Anyone with information about the hit-and-run crashes in Denver is demanded to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at - - Anyone with information about the Boulder bicycle crash is required to contact state patrol investigators at - - and reference occurrence number D Related Articles Douglas County debuts new helicopter AI tools to fight wildfires Westbound I- reopens near Eagle after crash Aurora pedestrian killed in crash with coroner investigator on way to homicide It s like a war zone Bennett Elbert County residents cleaning up after tornadoes damage structures dead injured in -car crash near Quincy Reservoir Colorado is bracing for more crashes as it enters the annual deadliest days of summer on Monday according to the Colorado Department of Transportation The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is marked by an increase in fatal and injury crashes particularly those involving teen drivers according to CDOT Teen crash rates are roughly higher during that time than the rest of the year Fatal crashes involving young drivers between the ages of and rose nationally between and even though fatal crashes decreased overall according to evidence from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration A multitude of crashes between Memorial Day and Labor Day regardless of age involved impaired drivers CDOT authorities explained in a news release Of the fatal crashes between the two holidays last year nearly a third of them involved impaired drivers according to CDOT information State patrol troopers will be increasing their presence and DUI enforcement over Memorial Day weekend CDOT officers mentioned Colorado law enforcement made DUI arrests during last year s Memorial Day Weekend enforcement period Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day