Safe, sober and distraction-free driving

The leading causes of motor vehicle crashes and fatalities include:

• Speeding.

• Impaired driving.

• Distracted driving.

• Not using seat belts.

Educate yourself about these laws and safety measures from our partners at the Colorado Department of Transportation:

• Impaired driving from alcohol, marijuana or other drugs.
  Colorado has strict limits for driving while alcohol- or marijuana-impaired, and zero tolerance for underage drunk driving.

• Distracted driving.
  It's illegal to text while driving in Colorado, and teens aren't allowed to use cellphones at all behind the wheel.

• Bicycle and pedestrian safety.
  Remember to share the road with bicycles, and that pedestrians have the right of way. However, pedestrians should always use crosswalks for safety.

• Motorcycle safety.
  Colorado’s many hills, turns and gravel-ridden roadways make for dangerous conditions. Be careful and aware of your surroundings.

• Seat belts.
  Colorado’s seat belt laws are complicated, varying depending on the age of the passenger and the age of the driver. Colorado is one of only 17 states that haven't passed a primary seat belt law. In an analysis of state motor vehicle laws done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Colorado scored in the lowest tier possible for seat belt laws.

Data resources

• CDOT Motor Vehicle Problem Identification Reports.

• Motor vehicle fatality data (2012 data) by race and ethnicity.

• Injury in Colorado, 2012-2014.

• Colorado Child Fatality Prevention System.

Resources

• CDC motor vehicle safety information:

  • Impaired driving.

  • Distracted driving.

  • Pedestrian safety.

  • Motorcycle safety.

  • Seat belts.

• The Colorado Department of Transportation’s Office of Transportation Safety provides funding opportunities each year for local communities to address the above motor vehicle safety issues.

• National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s Counter measures That Work.