Colorado Sees 35% of Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Speeding

• Colorado recorded a 35.23% share of speeding-related fatal motor vehicle crashes from 2020 to 2024.
• Colorado averaged 226.8 speeding-related fatal crashes per year from 2020 to 2024, out of an average of 643.8 total fatal motor vehicle crashes annually, with speeding fatal crashes peaking at 258 in 2022.
• Colorado’s speeding-related fatal crash rate of 35.23% is 3.5 times higher than Florida’s rate of 9.96%, the lowest in the nation, underscoring a critical road safety challenge for the Centennial State.

Speeding remains one of the deadliest driving behaviors on U.S. roads, contributing to thousands of fatal crashes each year. From 2020 to 2024, more than 53,000 fatal motor vehicle crashes across the United States involved speeding as a contributing factor. Among all 50 states, Colorado ranks 11th for the highest proportion of speeding-related fatal crashes, with 35.23% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in the state involving speeding as a contributing factor.

The study conducted by Grigor Law analyzed five years (2020–2024) of FARS / CDAN data on speeding-related fatal motor vehicle crashes across all 50 U.S. states. For each state, the average annual number of speeding-related fatal crashes was calculated alongside the average annual total fatal motor vehicle crashes to determine the percentage of all fatal crashes attributable to speeding. States were ranked from highest to lowest percentage to reveal where speeding plays the largest role in fatal crash outcomes.

States With the Highest Percentage of Speeding-Related Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes (2020–2024 Average)

Hawaii leads the nation with 44.59% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involving speeding, followed by Wyoming at 40.22%. Rhode Island, South Carolina and Pennsylvania round out the top five, while Alaska, Connecticut, Montana, Missouri and New Mexico complete the top 10. Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Vermont and North Carolina round out the top 15. Notably, Colorado’s rate of 35.23% places it 11th nationally, highlighting the severity of the speeding problem in the Centennial State.

"Speeding remains a leading cause of fatal crashes across the U.S., with significant differences between states. The findings highlight the urgent need for stronger enforcement, safer road designs, speed-calming measures and public awareness campaigns to reduce deaths and make American roads safer."

Colorado’s Speeding-Related Fatal Crash Summary

Colorado recorded a total of 1,134 speeding-related fatal crashes over the five-year period from 2020 to 2024. The state’s annual speeding fatal crash count ranged from a low of 180 in 2021 to a high of 258 in 2022, representing a 43.3% increase over that span. In 2024, the count stood at 215, a decrease from the 2022 peak and below the 2020 figure. With a 2024 population of 5,957,493, Colorado’s rate of 35.23% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes being speeding-related is the 11th highest of any state in the country.

This study analyzed 2020–2024 FARS / CDAN (Fatality Analysis Reporting System / Crash Data Analysis Network) data on speeding-related fatal motor vehicle crashes across all 50 U.S. states. The average annual number of speeding-related fatal crashes for each state was calculated over the five-year period and compared to the average annual total fatal motor vehicle crashes to derive the percentage of crashes attributable to speeding. States were ranked from highest to lowest percentage to identify where speeding is the greatest contributor to fatal crash outcomes.

FARS / CDAN Query (All 50 States): https://cdan.dot.gov/query

Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15M95FXlqAW6wpUyaBIMUUDpR3C05X4W1FRTiuvhJ1DQ/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Study By: https://grigorlaw.com

Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is a premier New York "all injury" law firm representing clients in personal injury, car accidents, workers’ compensation, and no-fault claims.

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