(COLO) – You’re headed home, driving behind some slowpoke and thinking about passing him up…then you look down and see that you are already going five over the posted speed limit.
“The temptation is real and law enforcement officers aren’t oblivious to that, “stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Our goal isn’t to go out and ticket everyone; we want drivers to do the right thing and drive like a trooper is in their vehicle with them. Citations are meant to correct poor driving choices and you are literally in the driver’s seat to determine the likelihood of a traffic stop.”
Some communities and roadways across Colorado exhibited more consistent speeding issues in 2023. The top five counties to receive speeding citations by Colorado State Troopers last year were:
- El Paso
- Jefferson
- Weld
- Mesa
- Eagle
For the past four years, El Paso, Weld and Jefferson counties have remained in the top five counties for speeding citations. This is the third consecutive time in four years that Mesa County has entered the top five, and this is the second consecutive time in four years for Eagle County.
Looking at the top five roadways in 2023 for speeding charges by highest speeding intervals (20+ MPH over the posted speed limit) issued by the Colorado State Patrol, the roadways were:
- I70
- I25
- H50
- H24
- H285
The top four roadways listed above have held their respective positions for five consecutive years. The fifth location, H285 broke into the top five in 2022 and held this spot for 2023.
Troopers continue to take a low-tolerance approach to the top fatal crash factors, including lane violations, impaired driving and speeding, while launching a yearlong campaign called “Drive Safe.” This campaign celebrates positive driving behaviors and encourages all of us to drive like a trooper is riding with you.
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ABOUT THE COLORADO STATE PATROL
Since our origin in 1935, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) has focused on preserving human life and protecting property within our communities. Our 1,100 members embody the core values of Honor, Duty, and Respect in their daily jobs. In addition to our expertise in motor vehicle safety on the state’s roadways, the CSP is responsible for the Governor and other dignitaries’ protection, commercial motor vehicle enforcement, hazardous materials, homeland security, communications, investigative services, criminal interdiction, community education, aviation operations, and more.