DENVER — Traffic deaths increased 9.8% in Colorado in the first three months of the year over the same period of 2021.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its report Wednesday for the first quarter of 2022 that shows U.S. traffic deaths increased 7% to 9,560 people in the first quarter.
Colorado had 135 traffic fatalities during that period, which was an increase of 9.8% over the first quarter of 2021, when the state had 123 deaths. Colorado ranked 24th among all states for the quarter for both the number of fatalities and its percentage change.
The state with the biggest percentage increase in traffic deaths was Delaware, which was up 163.2% – 50 deaths in 2022's first quarter versus 19 deaths the year before, according to NHTSA.
Texas had the largest number of traffic deaths in the first quarter with 1,071.
NHTSA breaks the country into 10 regions. Colorado is in Region 8 along with Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota. The region saw a 0% increase in traffic fatalities in the first quarter over the year before.
Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota had decreases in traffic fatalities, while Nevada, Utah and Colorado had increases.
Through June, Colorado has had 368 traffic deaths this year, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Traffic deaths nationwide have risen ever since pandemic lockdowns eased in 2020 as people returned to work and started taking more road trips. People drove about 40 billion more miles in the first quarter than a year earlier, a 5.6% increase, the agency said.
But the rate of traffic deaths per 100 million miles traveled also increased during the quarter from 1.25 deaths, to 1.27, according to the agency.
Before 2020, the number of fatalities had fallen for three consecutive years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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