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According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, 2020 was the worst year on record for traffic accident fatalities, with 51 deaths occurring last year alone. The previous record was held by 2018 which had 48 fatalities.
The 51st and last fatal accident of 2020 occurred on December 9th, when 67-year-old Colorado Springs resident William James was struck by a pickup truck while crossing in the middle of the block on Las Vegas Street.
James was seriously injured in the collision, and was taken to the hospital where he remained in care for almost a month, before tragically succumbing to his injuries on January 3rd.
These 51 tragic losses of life represent different types of accidents, including 13 pedestrian-related, 3 bicycle-related, 15 motorcycle-related and 30 automobile-related accidents.
The fact that 2020 was such a terrible year for traffic fatalities in the Colorado Springs area is surprising, considering the COVID-19 pandemic kept a great number of us out of our usual routines, and off the roads more than usual.
So while it may be hard to explain the increase in fatalities occurring at the same time that traffic overall was down from the usual average, the Colorado Springs Police Department does have a good idea of what is causing these accidents: dangerous driving behaviors, such as speeding, texting while driving, and drinking and driving.
According to Colorado Springs Police Department Detective Scott Hayden, it comes down to: “People not paying attention. It comes down to speed. It comes down to the distractions that people have, whether it be cell phones, passengers, kids in the back. There’s alcohol that’s obviously involved. People are just so distracted while they’re driving that they’re not paying attention to the road.”
The CSPD is urging people to remember that law enforcement can only do so much, it’s incumbent on everyone in the community to do their part and drive safely, every time we get behind the wheel.
Distracted Driving Beliefs and Behaviors
Unfortunately, while most of us understand the dangers of distracted driving, we still decide to engage in that behavior regularly. As a survey conducted by The Zebra earlier this month clearly shows, often our beliefs about distracted driving don’t always line up with our routine behavior.
Of the 2000 U.S. citizens they talked to, 37% agreed that being distracted by a mobile device did impair a person’s ability to drive safely. But, 28.6% also admitted to regularly texting while driving.
Additionally, 39.9% of the respondents who agreed with the statement that texting and driving was just as dangerous as drinking and driving, admitted to recently drinking and driving themselves.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2018 alone over 400,000 people were injured, and more than 2,800 people died in accidents caused by distracted driving. So this is obviously an important issue that should not be ignored.
Remember to do you part, and focus on the road, don’t drink and drive, and always drive at a safe speed for the road conditions you are facing.
Related Reading: Traffic Fatality Data from 2019 Released Last Month by NHTSA
Contact Our Colorado Springs Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers Today
Have you or a loved one been injured by the negligent actions of a driver? Are you concerned you won’t have the money to pay medical bills and lost expenses? If so, you need an experienced Colorado Springs accident lawyer on your side to help you fight for justice.
Contact the dedicated attorneys at the Green Law Firm, P.C. today by calling (719) 694-8515, or by filling out the contact form on this page, to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and discuss your case.