Colorado State Patrol Urges Drivers to Slow Down on Mountain Roads as Summer Travel Increases

Description: The Colorado State Patrol is reminding motorists to obey speed limits on Western Slope mountain roads after speeding contributed to 42 injury and fatal crashes during the 2025 summer travel season...

Watch Your Speed When Super Cruising

Mountain roads bring extra hazards

(Colorado) – Colorado’s Western Slope brings beautiful views along with some additional hazards that require motorists’ sole focus. Whether ice, snow, bicyclists, pedestrians, or wildlife situations can present themselves quickly and without warning, leaving drivers with life-saving decisions in a short amount of time. Driving above the speed limit shortens those drivers’ reaction time and can lead to deadly consequences.

In 2025, Colorado State Troopers investigated 378 injury or fatal crashes between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend on Colorado’s Western Slope. Forty-two of those crashes were caused by motorists exceeding a safe and legal speed. While many risk-taking behaviors ramp up over the summer months, such as driving impaired and lane violations, State Patrol data revealed that speeding crashes were most common on Mondays in this region.

“The data suggests that many of our speeding-caused crashes could be stemming from over-confidence and complacency from local drivers,” explained Major Brett Williams, District Commander for Region 5 of the Colorado State Patrol. “Speed limits are there for your safety, and if everyone follows them, traffic flow is also enhanced.”

Recreational travelers can also play an important role in helping reduce aggressive and reckless driving in the area. If a motorist notices a long line of vehicles behind them, pulling over in a safe place to allow those to pass is a great option. In addition, on roads with two or more lanes traveling in the same direction, vehicles should stay in the right lane, except to pass.

For more great mountain driving tips, visit Super Cruising in Colorado from the Colorado State Patrol.

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