Data from Colorado Springs Police show certain roads more prone to fatal accidents

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Data collected by the Colorado Springs Police Department outline the deadliest areas in the city for pedestrians. At the top of the list is a strip of South Nevada Avenue off I-25.

Tuesday, an on-duty Colorado Springs Police Officer was driving a police cruiser north on S. Nevada near E. Las Vegas St. when he hit a pedestrian in the road. According to police, the man later died at the hospital.

That makes him the 45th traffic fatality in Colorado Springs in 2021, and the 13th pedestrian to be killed.

“84 percent of pedestrian deaths happen on corridors where the speed limit is above 30 miles per hour," Skyler McKinley with AAA explained. "People are not being struck and killed in their neighborhoods for the most part.”

According to AAA, several factors could be behind the increase in pedestrian deaths. Many victims cross in the middle of the road, not designated crosswalks, in dim conditions, and victims don't always heed traffic lights.

In Tuesday's crash, police say the victim was attempting to cross S. Nevada Ave. in an unmarked crosswalk.

McKinley said more drivers on Colorado roads also aid the rise in crashes, including crashes involving pedestrians.

“The state has become increasingly popular and because of that we are seeing more traffic,” he said.

In a statement, the Colorado Springs Police Department told KRDO, “El Paso County somberly holds the record for most fatalities in the state of Colorado."

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, El Paso County has had 51 fatal crashes so far in 2021.

For those numbers to change, CDOT says it’s going to take more than just pedestrians and drivers altering road habits.

“There’s always room for improvement when it comes to enhancing pedestrian safety," Sam Cole with CDOT said. "Enhancing lighting, enhancing the structure of our crosswalks, creating islands of safety in the middle of a road where pedestrians can stop and be safe."

However, Cole says there aren't any plans in the works to modify that portion of S. Nevada Ave. Cole did tell KRDO CDOT is willing to work with local leaders to change that.

KRDO reached out to the Mayor's Office for a statement regarding the issue. At the time of this publication, KRDO has not heard back.