Colorado State Troopers are cracking down on speeding with the issuing of more than 47,000 citations in 2024, amid persisting beliefs among some that driving over the limit is a victimless crime. "There is a portion of roadway users that when caught speeding, feel like they are being penalized for something that wasn’t causing anyone else a problem," remarked Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, as obtained by the Colorado State Patrol press release. However, statistics from last year's crashes tell a different story, with speeding being the second-highest causal factor for crashes that resulted in injury or death.
Speed limits are not arbitrary; they are calibrated based on road design and the volume of traffic to maximize safety. Disregarding these limits not only puts the driver at risk but everyone else on the road as well. Factors such as increased rollover accidents, reduced vehicle control, and compromised safety features are all exacerbated by speeding. In addition, elevated speeds mean longer stopping distances and less time to react to potential hazards, which increases the severity of traffic collisions.
In a move to combat the normalization of speeding, the Colorado State Patrol is launching a three-month campaign with the message to reconsider the notion of speeding as harmless. Col. Packard warns, "Don’t take liberties with other people’s lives. Your choice to speed wasn’t consensual to others using that same road," as per Colorado State Patrol. He insists on the point that driving, while essential, is still a privilege, one not to be abused at the risk of others' safety. The campaign titled “Stop Speeding” is vying for a change in driver behavior, effectively deterring speeding by suggesting that a trooper is riding shotgun with every driver.
