21-05-2025
What contributed to the deadliest year on record for motorcyclists in Colorado
(COLORADO) — With warmer weather comes more motorcycles out on the road, and unfortunately, that means more motorcycle crashes.
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and FOX21 News recently covered a story encouraging motorcycle safety and the use of helmets, after a record number of motorcyclists were killed on Colorado roads in 2024. Following that coverage, our viewers reached out wanting to know the statistics of how many motorcycle crashes were caused by other drivers and how many were caused by motorcyclists.
We contacted the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) to learn more, and what we found were some alarming statistics that point to a larger problem on our roads.
According to CSP's Motorcycle Safety Training (MOST) Coordinator Chris Corbo, 84% of crashes involving motorcycles in 2024 were deemed motorcyclist at-fault. Of those, 47% of the motorcyclists did not have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver's licenses–meaning nearly half of the motorcyclists deemed at-fault for crashes in 2024 were not licensed to drive a motorcycle in the state.
In order to ride in Colorado, it is required by law that motorcyclists obtain a motorcycle endorsement on their license, marked by either the letter 'M' or a '3.' An 'M' endorsement permits the operator to drive either a two‑wheeled or three‑wheeled vehicle, and a '3' only permits a three-wheel. What is not required by law, however, is helmet use. Only those under 18 are required by law to wear a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said of the 165 motorcyclists killed in 2024, 73 (44%) were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that speed and alcohol are also large contributing factors in motorcycle crashes–20% of the state's motorcycle fatalities in 2024 involved impairment.
Motorcycle fatalities accounted for nearly a quarter (24%) of all traffic deaths in the state, despite being just 3% of vehicles on the road.
The above data follows several years of alarming statistics involving motorcycles–according to CDOT, while passenger vehicle deaths decreased 10% from 2023 to 2024, motorcycle deaths jumped 23%.
There is some good news, however. So far in 2025, CDOT said motorcycle deaths are down 20% compared to the same time period in 2024. This could be in part due to the implementation of the lane filtering law, which allows motorcyclists to legally move to the front of stopped traffic, protecting them from potentially deadly rear-end crashes.
What you can and can't do when lane filtering
'Last year's record number of motorcycle deaths is a call to action for both Colorado drivers of passenger vehicles and motorcyclists alike,' said CDOT's Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. 'We must look out for one another on our roadways. 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.'
The safety of motorcyclists on Colorado roads depends on the cooperation of everyone, whether they are on two wheels or four. Car and truck drivers can save a life simply by checking their blind spots, remaining focused on driving and avoiding distractions, and giving motorcyclists plenty of space. Motorcyclists can protect themselves by wearing a helmet, being educated on their vehicles and getting a motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license, and by operating their motorcycles safely and responsibly.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
