CSP: Drive Like Santa’s Watching

Description: Dont Be a Blitzen this Holiday Season...A reminder from the Colorado State Patrol...

Published: 12/20/2021

Byline: Hart

Drive Like Santa’s Watching

Colorado State Patrol Continues “Lower Tolerance” Approach

(COLORADO) – The hustle and bustle of the season are here, but your Colorado State Troopers want you to remember your responsibilities each time you get behind the wheel. With the fatality crash count on pace for the highest numbers our state has seen in over fifteen years, troopers are continuing their “low tolerance” approach to lane violations and impaired driving.

“By the end of November, troopers had made close to thirteen thousand stops for lane violations alone this year,” stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, Colorado State Patrol. “Yet, the number of serious injury and fatal crashes continue to grow because of poor driving behaviors or driving while impaired. So, this is where you come in, Colorado drivers. You have to care enough to be responsible behind the wheel.”

Lane violations often are indicators of distracted driving, speeding, or driving while impaired. Looking at the most recent numbers for impaired crashes investigated by the Colorado State Patrol (October 31, 2021), crashes in all three measurement categories have risen:

Fatal alcohol and drug-caused crashes – 10% over this time in 2020.
Injury alcohol and drug-caused crashes – 36.5% over this time in 2020.
Property Damage alcohol and drug-caused crashes – 15.5% over this time in 2020.

“No one wants a citation at any time of the year, but there are worse things that you could experience,” explains Col. Packard. “Causing the death of another motorist or pedestrian, it may sound farfetched, but it is happening at a devastating rate across our state.”

As you go about your day-to-day and holiday activities, act like Santa’s watching you. And, if that doesn’t work, act like your local law enforcement or community’s Colorado State Trooper is watching, every time you start the ignition.

Follow SECO News on Facebook.
Subscribe to the SECO News YouTube Channel.