State Patrol talks ‘100 Deadliest Days of the Year’ as several fatal crashes hit El Paso County
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - If you've experienced heightened traffic since Memorial day, the Colorado State Patrol says you're not imagining it. According to them, statistically, the most dangerous time to be out on the road is during the summer months, not the winter.
"It has a lot to do with increased traffic to the state and people paying attention to the scenery around the State of Colorado, maybe not quite as much attention to the road. So we're always out trying to make sure we do everything we can to drive down that number of serious injuries and fatal crashes,” said Sergeant Patrick Rice.
Despite dry road conditions in the summer, versus the winter, Sgt. Rice warns drivers to be extra careful as drivers are more likely to be distracted on the road.
He also said that tourism plays a role in the increase in accidents during June and July.
"Colorado Springs is a very busy tourist area. You're going to see a pretty big increase in traffic in those summer months," Rice said, citing events like the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and the Air Force Academy Graduation.
According to the state patrol, it is likely to see over 2 accidents a day on I-25 in El Paso County, and those numbers just go up during the summer months.
He warned people to slow down, allow extra time for traffic this time of year and move over when drivers see an accident on the side of the highway.
"We let our guard down in the summer. So again, that would be the focus. Make sure even though it's nice and warm and dry out, that we're still paying attention to the roadway appropriately," Rice said.
