In a move to curb the rising tide of speed-related fatalities on Colorado roads, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has unveiled a new automated speed camera program aimed particularly at work zones, beginning with a stretch of CO 119 between Boulder and Longmont, according to Boulder County. The program focuses on deterring drivers from exceeding speed limits by 10 mph or more, a threshold that will trigger the issuance of penalties.
It’s worth noting that work zone areas present greater dangers due to often narrow and shifting lanes, and despite social campaigns against distracted or impaired driving, these zones remain a hotspot for accidents, resulting in fatalities reaching a nine-year high in 2024, with 31 lives claimed, according to data released by CDOT. Meanwhile, a staggering 70% of respondents to the 2024 Colorado Driver Behavior Survey owned up to speeding on highways, demonstrating a substantial gap in the adherence to traffic regulations and the general perception of the severity associated with speeding.
Generally, the risk of speeding overshadows that of impairment and distractions when it comes to the prime cause of road fatalities in Colorado, as speed-related crashes assumed the top spot last year. With the introduction of such enforcement measures, CDOT aligns itself with strategies backed by the Federal Highway Administration, which are “proven to work” in the reduction of speed-related incidents…