7/20/2026

PRESS RELEASE
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Colorado State Patrol Public Affairs Office
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303-239-4583

Colorado Ranked Fifth in Aggressive or Careless Driving Crashes

Troopers want you to give space to aggressive drivers

(COLORADO) – A recent national analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fatality crash data placed Colorado in the top five states for the highest shares of fatal crashes involving aggressive or careless driving. Of the 642 fatal crashes on Colorado roadways last year, 288 involved aggressive or careless driving (Lending Tree, July 6, 2026).

Top Five States for Fatal Crashes Involving Aggressive or Careless Driving*

1. Arkansas
2. Louisiana
3. New Jersey
4. Hawaii
5. Colorado

*Percentage of fatal crashes contained at least one unsafe driving behavior, including aggressive driving, careless driving, inattentive operation, improper driving and driving without due care

“Despite over 42,000 speeding citations last year from our agency, troopers know that this behavior continues on Colorado roadways,” stated Chief Matthew C. Packard, Colorado State Patrol. “We aren’t going to ‘ticket’ our way out of this ranking. It’s a joint effort with loved ones to help aggressive drivers rethink their stance on speeding, tailgating, or other unsafe behaviors before troopers need to intervene and remind you.”

The Colorado State Patrol investigated over 500 fatal and injury crashes involving a speeding driver last year. Some additional indicators of aggressive driving in 2025 were the 2,795 crashes investigated by Colorado State troopers involving following too closely. An additional 26 crashes investigated by the Patrol were due to unsafe or illegal passing.

If you encounter an aggressive driver who is putting other motorists at risk, avoid them by getting out of the way. Do not make eye contact, respond with a hand gesture, or indicate disapproval of their driving behavior. Contact the Colorado State Patrol as soon as it is safe to do so by pulling over and calling *CSP (*277).

In 2025, the Colorado State Patrol’s dedicated *277 line saw a notable increase in public engagement, with emergency dispatchers answering 58,117 total *CSP calls from motorists reporting real-time roadway hazards. This represents a nearly 6% increase over the 54,956 calls received in 2024. Most significantly, 57.3% of these reports were specifically related to road rage or aggressive driving (33,387). While total call volume for the *277 program has grown, the percentage of reports involving aggressive behavior has also continued to climb, rising from 54% in 2023 to 56% in 2024 and 57.3% last year.

Be prepared to provide the following information: vehicle description, license plate number, location and direction of travel, driver description, and the aggressive driving behavior being demonstrated.

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ABOUT THE COLORADO STATE PATROL
Since our origin in 1935, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) has focused on preserving human life and protecting property within our communities. Our 1,100 members embody the core values of Honor, Duty, and Respect in their daily jobs.  In addition to our expertise in motor vehicle safety on the state’s roadways, the CSP is responsible for the protection of the Governor and other dignitaries, commercial motor vehicle enforcement, hazardous materials, homeland security, communications, investigative services, criminal interdiction, community education, aviation operations, and more. For additional information, visit us online at Colorado State Patrol or follow us on X, Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

Colorado State Patrol
On-Call Public Information Officer:  303.239.4583
csp.colorado.gov