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Colorado’s Bad Driving Habits: 4 Findings From The Department Of Transportation

Courtesy of CDOT
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Colorado Department of Transportation
Credit Photo Courtesy of CDOT / Colorado Department of Transportation
/
Colorado Department of Transportation

Texting  and driving. Posting to social media while behind the wheel. Driving within two hours of having a couple of drinks. Failing to put on  seatbelt.

These are examples of some of the worst habits of drivers, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. An annual survey shows the trends show no sign of improving in the assessment of Colorado residents’ attitudes and behaviors.

“The biggest thing that jumps out for us is how these behaviors remain consistent, unfortunately, year after year,” said Sam Cole, a spokesman for the department

“These are dangerous behaviors that exist on our roadways that really put everybody in danger.”

In 2016, there were 607 fatalities on Colorado roadways. That’s up 24 percent in the last two years. Alcohol was a factor in nearly one third of those deaths.

Other findings from the survey:

  • Sixty-nine percent of  of respondents admitted to speeding, a slight increase from years past.

  • Pickup drivers, especially in rural areas, are less apt to wear their seatbelt.

  • People look down on their phones or other mobile devices a lot while driving: 22 percent said they had read a message on a device and 15 percent wrote a message on a device while driving in the week before the survey. Sixty-two percent reported selecting entertainment on an iPod, CD player, radio or other device while driving.

  • Despite harsh penalties, people still drive while impaired.  Thirty-eight percent of respondents who drank alcoholic beverages drove a motor vehicle within two hours of drinking. Fifty-seven percent of those who used marijuana drove a motor vehicle within two hours after consuming marijuana.

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    Credit Courtesy of CDOT / Colorado Department of Transportation
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    Colorado Department of Transportation