Eighty-five percent of Colorado drivers have admitted to driving while distracted on a daily basis, the Colorado State Patrol said.

In response, CSP officials are urging all drivers to “Drop it and Drive.”

“Every driver has a role in making Colorado roadways safer,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the CSP. “Our troopers and local enforcement partners cannot be everywhere at once, so make the smart decision to save a life, possibly your own.”

According to the CSP, distracted driving is one of the top reasons, along with speed and people driving under the influence, for crashes resulting in an injury or death. 

The CSP estimates 42 accidents happen on Colorado’s roadways daily as a result of distracted driving.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, 15,143 crashes were caused by distracted drivers and resulted in over 4,300 injures and 39 deaths.

The number of distracted drivers has increased by almost 3,000 incidents when comparing 2012 to 2019. In an attempt to reduce those numbers, CDOT is a launching a similar campaign “Distraction Reactions.”

Posters aimed to bring awareness to the dangers of distracted driving will be on display at 48 coffee shops throughout the Centennial State and ask drivers to consider how others would react to them driving distracted.

“Distracted drivers do not often see the risk of their behavior until it’s too late,” said Darren Lingk, highway safety office director at CDOT.

“While the risk associated with distracted driving are well documented, studies show the majority of Coloradans still choose to engage in this behavior, which presents a danger to everyone who uses our roads.”

They hope through the “Drop it and Drive” campaign that number lessens by offering some tips:

• Turn on “Do Not Disturb” on your phone while driving
• Have auto-response turned on for incoming texts while driving
• If you have a passenger, let them control the music or GPS
• Preprogram radio stations and final destination before shifting into drive.