Fatal Roads

States › Colorado

CO

State

Colorado

Residents 5,957,493Deaths 2024 689Deaths 2015–2024 6,518Counties 64Routes with pages 40

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024.

Colorado recorded 689 deaths in 642 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest year in NHTSA's FARS, and 6,518 deaths over 2015–2024.

That is 11.4 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, close to the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total rose 29% from 5,049 in 2005–2014 to 6,518 in 2015–2024.

Relative to the national shares, motorcyclists stands out most: 19.4% of people killed against 14.5% nationally. 39.1% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 45.1% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Park County (29.6), Morgan County (26.9) and Logan County (25.4).

689deaths in 2024642 fatal crashes
11.4per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8
+29%ten-year change in deaths5,049 → 6,518
34%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

0382764197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 581 deaths1976: 620 deaths1977: 694 deaths1978: 694 deaths1979: 691 deaths1980: 709 deaths1981: 756 deaths1982: 668 deaths1983: 646 deaths1984: 608 deaths1985: 579 deaths1986: 603 deaths1987: 591 deaths1988: 497 deaths1989: 527 deaths1990: 544 deaths1991: 543 deaths1992: 522 deaths1993: 559 deaths1994: 586 deaths1995: 645 deaths1996: 617 deaths1997: 613 deaths1998: 628 deaths1999: 626 deaths2000: 681 deaths2001: 741 deaths2002: 743 deaths2003: 642 deaths2004: 667 deaths2005: 606 deaths2006: 535 deaths2007: 554 deaths2008: 548 deaths2009: 465 deaths2010: 450 deaths2011: 447 deaths2012: 474 deaths2013: 482 deaths2014: 488 deaths2015: 547 deaths2016: 608 deaths2017: 648 deaths2018: 632 deaths2019: 597 deaths2020: 622 deaths2021: 691 deaths2022: 764 deaths2023: 720 deaths2024: 689 deaths
People killed in crashes in Colorado by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 689 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

08172000200520102015202020242000: 15.72001: 16.72002: 16.52003: 14.22004: 14.62005: 13.12006: 11.32007: 11.52008: 11.22009: 9.42010: 8.92011: 8.72012: 9.12013: 9.12014: 9.12015: 102016: 112017: 11.52018: 11.12019: 10.42020: 10.72021: 11.92022: 13.12023: 12.22024: 11.6
Deaths per 100,000 residents in Colorado and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 11.6. this page United States

Year pages: 20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975

Compared with the nation

MeasureColoradoUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202411.411.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.611.5
Deaths, 2015–20246,518389,190
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+29%+7%
Share of the national toll1.7%100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking34.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver35.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed14.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed19.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used54.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark45.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads39.1%

tick marks the US share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

Counties ranked by rate

Deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024. Small counties on through routes can rank high on few deaths; the deaths column gives the scale. Counties with fewer than 10 fatal crashes in the ten years show no factor shares.

#CountyResidentsDeaths 2015–2024Per 100k / yrDeaths 2024AlcoholSpeeding
1Mineral County93323275.01–227%64%
2Jackson County1,27321155.3447%42%
3San Juan County8219121.01–2——
4Cheyenne County1,71220112.01–246%27%
5Hinsdale County747677.40——
6Washington County4,7713470.31–232%32%
7Lincoln County5,5983970.1619%42%
8Baca County3,3672365.71–241%29%
9Costilla County3,6862465.31–222%39%
10Sedgwick County2,2571564.61–231%31%
11Huerfano County6,9883652.81–225%13%
12Kit Carson County7,0803852.5629%27%
13Saguache County6,6703350.1427%30%
14Kiowa County1,392750.01–2——
15Ouray County5,1972346.51–238%38%
16Dolores County2,4671044.81–260%50%
17Clear Creek County9,0763234.2532%39%
18Custer County5,5531733.91–229%71%
19Park County18,3165329.6416%41%
20Rio Blanco County6,6071827.8339%39%
21Morgan County30,3007826.91036%30%
22Gunnison County17,3104526.41–233%41%
23Logan County20,7555525.4335%25%
24San Miguel County7,8192025.0337%58%
25Las Animas County14,5183423.71–239%42%
26Yuma County10,0482323.01–210%43%
27Bent County5,7791221.21–220%70%
28Archuleta County14,1122820.6324%32%
29Phillips County4,488920.41–2——
30Prowers County11,9572420.1335%24%
31Grand County16,1543119.91–233%44%
32Montezuma County26,8415219.8429%33%
33Conejos County7,5491519.21–250%50%
34Chaffee County20,7803819.1324%29%
35Alamosa County16,6893119.01–232%29%
36Rio Grande County11,1322118.61–214%38%
37Crowley County5,6001017.60——
38Moffat County13,1422317.5530%55%
39Weld County369,74556917.36734%28%
40Pueblo County169,86629017.32537%37%
41La Plata County56,8239717.31143%38%
42Lake County7,3691317.2033%50%
43Otero County17,9913116.9423%33%
44Garfield County63,16710116.6643%44%
45Delta County32,2155116.4738%44%
46Routt County25,2434116.3446%46%
47Fremont County50,0937715.91130%34%
48Elbert County29,3823914.6429%46%
49Montrose County44,8066114.31033%39%
50Gilpin County5,963813.40——
51Summit County30,8824113.3424%43%
52Adams County542,97363512.38436%35%
53Mesa County161,26018111.71733%35%
54Teller County24,8622710.9028%24%
55Pitkin County16,6431810.31–219%38%
56El Paso County752,77272110.07835%34%
57Larimer County374,5743529.93531%35%
58Eagle County54,330519.3842%33%
59Denver County729,0196088.56335%36%
60Jefferson County578,5334788.35434%37%
61Boulder County330,2622557.82331%29%
62Arapahoe County666,9185017.75536%35%
63Douglas County393,9952075.81934%41%
64Broomfield County78,323354.9444%44%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#RouteTypeFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 25Interstate38242133%29%
2Interstate 70Interstate31335229%30%
3US Route 287US highway17721025%33%
4US Route 40US highway17619429%34%
5US Route 50US highway16918522%34%
6US Route 85US highway14617138%27%
7US Route 160US highway13614623%33%
8Interstate 76Interstate13014632%25%
9US Route 24US highway11012333%33%
10US Route 6US highway10911736%29%
11US Route 34US highway10412031%24%
12US Route 285US highway10311125%30%
13State Route 83State highway717931%31%
14State Route 121State highway626434%36%
15US Route 550US highway576033%33%
16US Route 36US highway566139%36%
17State Route 95State highway495137%22%
18State Route 14State highway485240%31%
19State Route 88State highway464724%28%
20State Route 30State highway424729%33%
21State Route 470State highway414334%27%
22State Route 119State highway414639%27%
23State Route 96State highway384053%45%
24State Route 115State highway343638%35%
25Interstate 225Interstate313752%55%
26State Route 2State highway303330%37%
27State Route 391State highway282921%32%
28State Route 9State highway272826%26%
29State Route 392State highway273026%22%
30State Route 52State highway262819%15%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 40 routes in Colorado qualify. Local streets and county roads are not listed. Long routes carry more traffic and so more crashes; this is a count, not a rate.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Colorado by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 6,016 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday18%
Sunday16%
Friday15%
Monday13%
Thursday13%
Wednesday13%
Tuesday12%

Light condition

Daylight50%
Dark, lighted25%
Dark, not lighted21%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial39%
Minor arterial19%
Interstate15%
Major collector10%
Local9%
Other freeways and expressways5%
Minor collector3%

FHWA functional classes (FARS FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the national share. What the classes mean.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Colorado in 2024?

689 people in 642 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 6,518.

How does Colorado compare with the national rate?

11.4 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 11.6 against 11.5.

Which counties in Colorado have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: El Paso County (721), Adams County (635) and Denver County (608). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

What share of fatal crashes in Colorado involved alcohol or speeding?

34.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 35.4% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Colorado have the most fatal crashes?

Interstate 25 (382 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), Interstate 70 (313 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and US Route 287 (177 fatal crashes, 2015–2024). Route pages exist for signed routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in the ten years.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files 1975–2024; US Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026. See methodology, sources and corrections.