Fatal motorcycle crashes on Colorado roads are on track to decrease this year after hitting a record high of 165 deaths in 2024, state transportation officials said this week.
Motorcycle crash deaths made up a quarter of all traffic deaths last year despite motorcycles accounting for only 3% of all vehicles, the said in a news release.
The number of people killed in motorcycle crashes has increased nearly 60% since 2015 and, about half of all fatal crashes involve someone not wearing a helmet, according to state data.
Darrell Lingk, director of CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety, described the rising deaths as a “call to action” for all Colorado drivers.
“We must look out for one another on our roadways,” Lingk said in a statement. “And to all of our motorcycle riders, wear a helmet and protective gear — it is the number one way to prevent serious injury or death in a crash.”
Fatal motorcycle crashes have decreased 20% this year compared with the same time in 2024, mirroring a 21% drop in all traffic deaths so far this year.
