(Colo. – Golden) – If you drive daily, seeing and passing a crash is a regular experience. These incidents can be frightening and disruptive to your commute, but they also can lead to additional crashes. A secondary crash is a crash that occurs because of another crash. And, secondary crashes are a major cause of line-of-duty deaths for emergency workers.
In honor of Crash Responder Safety Week, the Colorado State Patrol wanted to share some of the hot zones across Colorado where secondary crashes are most prevalent and some of the top driving behaviors that lead to these crashes.
Looking at the secondary crashes investigated by the Colorado State Patrol from 2021 through November 13, 2024, troopers have handled over 880 secondary crashes. Approximately 35% of these secondary crashes occurred during poor, active weather conditions (e.g., snow, fog, freezing rain, strong winds, etc.), while the majority of crashes took place during clear conditions, with the peak months being November through January.
According to Colorado State Patrol investigation data of secondary crashes from this same time period (2021 – Nov 14, 2024), the top highways are:
- I-25 (330)
- I-70 (208)
- I-76 (29)
- Hwy C470 (26)
- Hwy 24 (20)
“First responders are well aware of the risks posed to them as they work on crash scenes,” explains Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “They work to investigate thoroughly and clear a scene as quickly as possible, despite how long it can feel to motorists caught in traffic related to a crash.”
Colorado State Patrol secondary crash data also revealed the top three causal factors for crashes during this same time period:
- Following too close (292)
- Inattentiveness – distracted driving (195)
- Speeding (172)
The Colorado Move Over law was one step in adding protection to emergency workers while handling the duties of the crash. This law has increased protections over the years, with the most recent expansion happening in August of 2023, when the law expanded to include any vehicle with emergency lighting activated on the road or on the shoulder.
Colorado Drivers have two choices when they see an emergency/tow/ maintenance vehicle or passenger vehicle with emergency hazards on:
- Move over at least one lane from that vehicle.
- If they cannot safely move over, then they must slow down to a safe speed.
- Safe speed means Drivers must slow down to 25 MPH or less in a 40 MPH zone.
- Drivers must slow by at least 20 MPH in a 45MPH or higher zone.
“It is up to all of us to improve the safety on our roadways,” stated Col. Packard. “Do your part by putting the distractions down and driving with safety at the forefront.”
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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.