CDOT releases report on driver behavior ahead of tomorrow's Traffic Safety Summit
News Release
Statewide — Colorado drivers are making strides toward safer roads, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s 2025 Driver Behavior Report. CDOT releases this report ahead of its annual Traffic Safety Summit, taking place this week in Breckenridge. Starting Wednesday, the Summit brings together more than 340 transportation professionals and safety advocates from across the state to address issues such-as impaired driving, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, speeding and seat belt use.
“This report gives us a clear picture of where progress has been made, and where challenges remain,” said CDOT’s Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “The Traffic Safety Summit provides an opportunity to turn data into action, and brings together a wide range of partners to shape effective, collaborative strategies for saving lives on Colorado’s roads.”
The annual report shows that fewer drivers are engaging in multiple unsafe driving behaviors. The number of unsafe driving behaviors per driver dropped for the second year in a row, falling to 1.19 in 2025, down from 1.27 in 2024 and 1.35 in 2023. But over one-third of drivers report speeding on highways.
Through a random-sample survey, CDOT evaluated 1,695 Colorado residents’ attitudes and behaviors concerning seat belt use, speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, motorcycle safety, law awareness and young driver attitudes. Responses were collected from 61 of Colorado’s 64 counties. Highlights of the study include:
Seat belts:
- Ninety percent of Colorado drivers said they wear their seat belt all the time when driving.
- The following drivers were less likely to say they wear their seat belt when driving:
- Drivers of vehicles older than 2001 (72%)
- Drivers aged 18 to 45 (85%)
- Drivers without a college degree (85%)
- Male drivers (87%)
Speeding:
- Thirty-six percent of Colorado drivers said they drive over the speed limit most or all the time on highways/interstates.
Distracted driving:
- The percentage of Colorado drivers who picked up a phone to make calls decreased from 42% in 2024 to 34% in 2025, and the share that picked up a phone to send a message decreased from 30% to 23%.
- Ninety-one percent of drivers were aware of Colorado’s ‘hands-free’ law prohibiting the use of a mobile device while driving. Drivers who used their phone while driving were less likely to know about the law.
Impaired driving:
- Twenty-one percent of all drivers said they drove within two hours of consuming alcohol, cannabis, or impairing prescription drugs in the last 30 days.
- While the share of 2025 drivers (21%) that drove after consuming substances was similar to that in 2024 (23%), there was a significant decrease from 2023 (28%).
- Very few Colorado drivers agreed that they could drive safely under the influence of alcohol (7%), cannabis (9%), or prescription medications (9%).
- Thirty-three percent of cannabis-using drivers said they drove within two hours of using cannabis in the last 30 days.
- Thirty-six percent of cannabis-using drivers thought they could drive safely under the influence of cannabis.
Motorcycles:
- About 78% of motorcycle riders said they wear a helmet most or all the time when riding.
- Helmet use among motorcycle riders was similar in 2024 and 2025. However, a larger share of riders said they never wear a helmet in 2025 (13%) than in 2023 (4%).
- Most motorcycle riders (71%) said they did not engage in lane filtering.
Law awareness:
- In addition to the high awareness rate (91%) of the ‘hands free’ law, 87% of drivers were aware of the law requiring three feet space to pass bicyclists, 78% were aware of the motorcycle lane filtering law, and 77% were aware of requiring breath/blood samples upon DUI arrest.
Young drivers:
- Young drivers were much more likely to say they picked up their phone to make or receive calls, read text messages, and send text messages while driving.
- Young drivers were more than twice as likely to believe that they could drive safely under the influence of cannabis than older drivers.
The study also found that male drivers and individuals between the ages of 25 and 44 were the most likely to engage in risky driving behaviors.
“This research provides valuable insights into the behaviors of Colorado drivers,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “The results reveal areas of progress, ongoing issues and opportunities for education. These findings will help CDOT continue to develop targeted efforts that address risky behaviors and improve the overall safety of our roads.”
The study utilized a mixed-method approach for sampling, including a mail packet and online panel, to ensure a representative sample of Colorado drivers.
Preliminary data shows that so far this year, the state has seen 341 traffic fatalities, an 11% decrease from this same time last year. While this is encouraging progress, there is still work to be done. The Traffic Safety Summit was created to educate and inspire Colorado transportation professionals to be safety champions and advance traffic safety culture in their community.
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