Motorcycle fatalities in Colorado remain a major concern, and the Colorado Department of Transportation is urging riders and drivers alike to take extra precautions this September. Last year was the deadliest year on record, with 165 motorcyclists killed, and September 2024 alone saw 33 lives lost. That’s part of a 57 percent increase in motorcycle deaths since 2015, with riders now making up nearly a quarter of all traffic fatalities despite being just 3 percent of vehicles on the road.
CDOT officials say two of the most effective steps riders can take are wearing a helmet and following speed limits. Nearly half of those killed last year were not wearing helmets. New this year, Colorado has also legalized motorcycle lane filtering—allowing riders to carefully pass between stopped vehicles at low speeds—something advocates say can reduce rear-end crashes.
CDOT is reminding everyone on the road to slow down, gear up, and look twice for motorcyclists.
