Local Law Enforcement to Partner on Highway Traffic Safety Operation

Published on August 10, 2021

DENVER – Tuesday, August 10, 2021 – In an effort to increase traffic safety on Metro-area highways, on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, the Denver Police Department and several Metro-area law enforcement agencies will join together to address excessive speeding on highways. Throughout the day, officers in the Metro Denver area will stop speeders on highways to conduct enforcement and education on how dangerous driving behaviors put them and other highway users at risk. When a driver speeds excessively or drives too fast for conditions, they increase the likelihood of a crash resulting in serious injury or death.

By the Numbers:

• According to CDOT data, there were 611 crash-related fatalities in Colorado in 2020
• According to CDOT data, there were 302 crash-related fatalities in Colorado from January 1 through July 31, 2021
• According to NTSB data, speeding-related fatalities account for about 31% of all traffic fatalities
• In Denver, from January 1 through August 7, 2021, 37 fatal crash incidents were recorded
  - a 7% increase over the three-year average of 35 fatal crashes
• Eight of the 37 fatal crashes year-to-date 2021 in Denver occurred on highways
  - a 71% increase over the year-to-date three-year average of 4.67 fatal highway crashes

The law enforcement agencies partnering on this highway traffic safety operation are:

• Arvada Police Department
• Colorado State Patrol
• Denver Police Department
• Greenwood Village Police Department
• Lakewood Police Department