Colorado drivers are under a harsh new spotlight after a pair of state reports and fresh video footage landed on the public’s radar. The latest survey data shows some small improvements in behavior behind the wheel, yet the preliminary crash count still climbed last year. For people who walk, bike, or ride a motorcycle, the numbers are especially grim, and officials say an end-of-year weather surge helped make 2025 one of the deadliest recent years on Colorado roads.
Preliminary totals and who’s most at risk
Preliminary figures show 701 people were killed on Colorado roadways in 2025, up from 689 the year before, according to a Jan. 23 news release from the Colorado Department of Transportation. Among those deaths were 126 pedestrians and 18 people on bicycles, a stark reminder of how exposed people outside vehicles remain. State officials told reporters that the spike was concentrated along the Front Range and tied to unseasonably warm November and December weather that kept people driving, riding, and walking more than usual.
What the driver survey found
CDOT's annual driver-behavior survey did offer a sliver of good news. The number of unsafe behaviors per driver dropped for the second year in a row, landing at 1.19, but risky choices are still common enough to be routine. The survey found that drivers reported picking up their phones for calls less often, dropping from 42% to 34%, and messaging declined from 30% to 23%. Even so, 36% of drivers said they speed on highways. CBS Colorado summarized the findings and cut together a short video from dashcam and traffic-camera clips that show drivers eating, reaching for devices, and pulling off some eyebrow-raising lane changes.
Front Range cities saw the largest increases
The Front Range carried much of the burden from last year's spike. Denver recorded 76 traffic deaths and Aurora 55, while Colorado Springs and Pueblo also logged notable increases, according to local coverage. The Denver Gazette reported that state troopers and CDOT leaders used the new numbers to call for tougher enforcement and community-level fixes.
Officials pivot to enforcement and infrastructure
State leaders responded with a package of steps tied directly to the latest data, including expanded speed enforcement, more DUI campaigns, and targeted investments to close gaps in pedestrian and bike infrastructure. In a statement released with the figures, CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said, “Every one of the 701 deaths last year represents a member of our community,” and the agency laid out plans that range from camera enforcement in work zones to more crosswalk and bike-lane improvements, details that were posted by the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Takeaways for drivers
The practical advice is not complicated: buckle up, slow down, and plan a sober ride if you are drinking or using cannabis. The data repeatedly point to speed and impairment as avoidable killers. Between stepped-up enforcement and ongoing education campaigns, officials say the raw numbers should serve as a blunt reminder that everyday choices behind the wheel can have fatal consequences for the most vulnerable people on Colorado roads.
