No joking matter: Distracted driving on the rise
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) doesn’t want you to be fooled this April Fools’ Day; if a trooper sees you driving distracted, a citation for improper, reckless or careless driving could soon be on your way.
According to CSP, in 2023, troopers issued 15,553 Distracted Driving citations, a 4.5% increase over 2022. CSP also warned that on average, nine people in the U.S. lose their lives every day in crashes resulting from distracted driving.
“Distraction starts from within us; our impatience, boredom, stress, or even fatigue and distractions can become deadly when a person is driving a vehicle,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, Chief of CSP. “It is up to all of us to be aware of the temptation of distraction. Driving needs to be the sole focus, no matter how experienced at driving you believe you are.”
When looking at 2023 citation data from CSP, inattention to driving showed up in every age category, but the top five were:
22-29 year olds (3,637)
30-39 year olds (3,443)
18-21 year olds (2,253)
40-49 year olds (2,162)
50-59 year olds (1495)
In addition, CSP ranked the most common roads for improper, reckless or careless citations. While I-25 and I-70 claimed the top two locations, the third location could not be specifically identified, as rural roads and neighborhood streets superseded any other national or state highways in Colorado.
“When you see someone leave their lane or fail to stop at a light or stop sign, these behaviors are considered improper, reckless or careless,” stated Col. Packard. “We take these ‘simple’ violations seriously because they can lead to the worst kind of crashes with the biggest cost being the loss of human life.”
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