New report reveals Coloradans admit to drinking and driving, distracted driving, and dangerous trends
The Colorado Department of Transportation has released its new 2024 Driver Behavior Report. This provides dangerous trends happening behind the wheel in Colorado.
The random-sample survey evaluated 945 Colorado residents' attitudes and behaviors. This includes seat belt usage, speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving. Here are the results of the survey:
- Drivers aged 25-44 are particularly prone to distracted driving behaviors. These include picking up a phone to make calls, read messages, and send messages, and eating or drinking while behind the wheel.
- 77% of Colorado drivers admitted to using their phones while driving, with 45% saying a hands-free feature in their car would stop them from using their phones.
- 42% of drivers said they picked up a phone to make or receive a call while driving in the last week.
- 37% said they picked up a phone to read a message while driving in the last week.
- 73% of drivers in Colorado reported eating or drinking while driving in the past week.
- 19% of Colorado drivers said they had operated a vehicle within two hours of drinking alcohol in the past month, 6% reported driving within two hours after consuming cannabis, and 3% after taking prescription drugs.
- More than half of Coloradans (57%) say they never drive under the influence of alcohol, cannabis and/or prescription drugs.
- Most drivers thought it was likely that a police officer could tell when someone recently consumed alcohol (77%) or cannabis (60%).
- Most drivers thought a person would be likely to get a DUI if they drove within an hour of consuming alcohol (67%) or cannabis (52%) if impaired above the legal limit.
- While 89% of drivers said they always wear a seat belt when driving, this dropped to 80% with trip distances of less than 2 miles.
- Male drivers reported lower overall seat belt use (86%) than female drivers (92%).
- 91% of drivers with newer car models indicated they are more likely to use seat belts compared to those driving vehicles manufactured before 2005.
Speeding
- 16% of motorists say they drive over the speed limit most or all of the time. This is down 4% from last year.
- Most drivers said they speed at least some of the time when driving on highways (69% on main highways (speed limit of 65mph) and 68% on local highways (speed limit of 55 mph)).
- Drivers aged 18-34 (35%) were more likely than those aged 35 and older (23%) to say they drive over the speed limit at least some of the time on neighborhood roads.
- Drivers thought they would be more likely to get stopped by police when consistently speeding over a 30-mph limit (58%) than a 65-mph limit (41%).
- 62% of motorcycle riders wear a helmet all of the time; 7% said they wear a helmet none of the time.
- Most Colorado motorcycle riders (73%) noted that their license includes a motorcycle endorsement.
- 62% of drivers said they always give extra space when following a motorcycle
- Nearly nine out of ten (85%) drivers said they stop for pedestrians using a crosswalk all the time.
- Alternatively, 45% said they stop for pedestrians not using a crosswalk all the time.
CDOT Traffic Safety Manager Sam Cole tells Your First Alert Traffic Tracker Reporter they conduct this report yearly and the biggest issue comes from people driving distracted.
"Looking down at your phone or changing something on your playlist, anything, that takes your eyes off the road is extremely dangerous," Cole said. "You need to be prepared to avoid a crash at any time. That means having your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road."
CDOT is reminding everyone about the new Hands-Free Law that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. This means if you are caught with your phone in your hand while driving, you will be fined and receive points on your license.