(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Colorado State Patrol (CSP) are reminding El Paso County drivers to obey speed limits, with a new campaign that started on Jan. 16, reminding drivers that there is never an excuse to speed.

According to CDOT, there were 22 speeding-involved fatalities in 2022. CDOT says this represents 28% of El Paso County roadway fatalities and is a 57% increase from 14 in 2021.

Nationally there was a 17% increase in speeding-related crash fatalities from 2019-2020, and in El Paso County there was a 43% increase in the same timeframe.

According to data from CDOT, speed was a leading factor in fatal crashes in Colorado in 2022.

“Speeding is a selfish choice that can have deadly consequences for the driver, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to navigate hazards safely and affects stopping distances. Speeding remains a leading cause of traffic fatalities in El Paso County and speed limits exist to protect everyone on the road.”

CDOT released other statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about speeding in 2020:

• Local roads saw the most speeding, with 87% of all speeding-related traffic fatalities occurring on non-interstate roads. 
• Speeding contributed to 37% of fatal crashes in work zones.
• Speeding was a factor in more fatal crashes on wet roads than on dry roads.