Half of Coloradans rate the state’s highways unsafe, even as they gave relatively high marks to Colorado State Patrol troopers for professionalism.

A significant majority also said state patrol officers treated them with respect.

These were among the highlights of the 2022 Colorado State Patrol Public Opinion Survey, which questioned more than 2,000 people – many of whom interacted with troopers in some form or another, including getting contacted for traffic violations, witnessing a traffic crash or requesting roadside assistance.

Colorado officials ask for driver caution after ‘alarming’ uptick in struck-by crashes

Notably, 51% of respondents rated Colorado’s roadways safe, a noticeable drop from the 64% who thought so in 2020.

They gave highways, in particular, a lower rating – only 43% said they’re safe, compared to the 64% who viewed city and town roads favorably. 

As context, respondents gave highways and inner roads the same relatively higher rating, 64% and 67%, respectively, in a survey two years prior. 

Also top of mind for the respondents is road behavior, and they urged the Colorado State Patrol to focus more on aggressive and reckless driving and distracted driving.

Transportation officials have renewed their emphasis on road safety, particularly after noting that 745 people died of traffic crashes last year, the most roadway deaths in Colorado since 1981.

Distracted and impaired driving have alarmed transportation officials. Colorado Department of Transportation Deputy Director Bob Fifer earlier said the dangers posed by drivers create an increasingly stressful work environment for CDOT employees and cited a 133% increase of struck-by crashes of CDOT vehicles from 2021 to 2022 and a 50% increase of hit safety patrol employees.

The problem is endemic nationwide. Last year, 50 first responders died as a result of struck-by incidents nationally as of Dec. 22, according to the State Patrol. Of those killed, there were 17 law enforcement officers, 17 tow-truck operators, four road service technicians, one CDOT or safety service patrol operator, and 11 firefighters and EMS personnel.

In the survey, 94% of respondents rated members of Colorado State Patrol as professionals. Of those who interacted with troopers, the number is 81%. 

“Those who were contacted by a trooper rated being treated respectfully higher in 2022 than 2020,” Colorado State Patrol Col. Matthew Packard said in a memo introducing the survey’s results.  

“Additionally, those who have more exposure to CSP through social media or community events, especially safety presentations, special events, and career fairs, perceive that CSP had a greater impact and presence in the community than those with less interaction,” he added. “These results suggest that increasing community interactions with CSP will improve public perceptions over time.”