From a pedestrian in Jefferson County, a bicyclist in Kit Carson County, to two motorists in Weld County, traffic fatalities have been common in the past week across the state, a Colorado State Patrol report reads.
In total, 11 fatalities were reported during a six-day stretch across the state.
In 18 hours in Weld County from May 30-31, two persons were killed in fatalities – one a 73-year-old as a result of an improper turn into traffic and the other a 45-year-old as a result of impairment.
“The ability to safely travel within our community or across the state directly impacts the quality of life for all Coloradans,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “This isn’t a ‘them’ problem, it is an ‘all of us’ problem. Until every license holder recognizes and acts upon the responsibility they hold, we won’t stop shattering annual death records on our roadways.”
A 10-year-old bicyclist was killed as a result of a pedestrian violation in Kit Carson County in far eastern Colorado, the youngest of the 11 fatalities. In urban Jefferson County, a 17-year-old was killed as a result of an improper turn into traffic and a 19-year-old was killed as a result of impaired driving. Another death in Jefferson County involved a scooter in an accident caused by following too closely in traffic, and a pedestrian was killed from an unknown cause in Jefferson County. Five of the 11 fatalities occurred in Jefferson County.
Fatalities in Garfield County, the far western area of the state, and Pueblo County, in southern Colorado, involved motorcycles resulting from a lane violation and distracted driving. In Arapahoe County, south of Weld County and east of Denver, excessive speed was the cause of the fatality of a 22-year-old.
“The range of poor driving behaviors underscores the urgent need for all road users to stay focused on the task of driving and following traffic safety rules and laws,” a press release from CSP reads, terming the accidents “completely avoidable”.
