Colorado traffic deaths rise by 10 percent to 545 in 2015

The Colorado Department of Transportation says traffic deaths rose by 10 percent last year to 545, the highest total since 2008.

Officials said Tuesday 104 of those deaths were people on motorcycles, the most ever in the state.

They say one possible reason for the increase in overall deaths is that lower gasoline prices are leading to more people traveling.

The department says nearly half the people killed in passenger vehicles weren’t wearing seat belts. Officials say that’s a disproportionately high percentage, because only about 15 percent of Coloradans don’t wear seat belts.

The department says nearly one-third of last year’s traffic deaths were alcohol-related.

Jefferson County had the most traffic deaths, with 56. Weld was second with 55, followed by Denver with 49 and El Paso with 44.