Car accident statistics for Arapahoe County, Colorado (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Arapahoe County by year

Annual car accident deaths rose from 48 in 2020 to 49 in 2021, then to 56 in 2022 and 64 in 2023. The count fell to 49 in 2024. The highest count was 64 in 2023, and the lowest was 48 in 2020. The 2024 count was higher than the 2020 count by 1 death and matched the 2021 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The share of all traffic deaths occurring in car accidents was 92.3% in 2020, 96.1% in 2021, 90.3% in 2022, 91.4% in 2023 and 89.1% in 2024. The highest share occurred in 2021, while the lowest occurred in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 52, 51, 62, 70 and 55 in those respective years.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Arapahoe County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 158 deaths, or 59.4% of car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 47 deaths, or 17.7%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 61 deaths, or 22.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in the selected crashes involving passenger vehicles. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows FARS classifications; it is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle. Its scope can include occupants of parked motor vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 77 car accident deaths, or 28.9%; Head-on for 22, or 8.3%; Rear-end for 21, or 7.9%; and Sideswipe for 7, or 2.6%. Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 139 deaths, or 52.3%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Manner of collision identifies the first harmful event. The latter row means that event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; physical movement does not define the category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 165 car accident deaths, or 62.0%, from 2020 through 2024. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 101 deaths, or 38.0%. The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The urban classification recorded 239 deaths, or 89.8%, while the rural classification recorded 27 deaths, or 10.2%. These classifications describe crash locations. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 13, representing 4.9% of the deaths in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Colorado and the United States

The Arapahoe County car accident death rate was 8.0 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Colorado's rate was 10.1, and the national rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than both. These rates use deaths divided by the sum of annual Census population estimates and do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Adams County had a rate of 11.2, Denver County 8.0, Jefferson County 6.8 and Douglas County 5.6. Arapahoe County's rate was lower than Adams County's, equal to Denver County's and higher than the rates for Jefferson County and Douglas County. Adams County had the highest rate among the listed neighboring counties.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in the county, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 106 deaths (36.6%); Roadway departure, 103 (35.5%); At an intersection, 118 (40.7%); Pedestrian involved, 65 (22.4%); Motorcycle involved, 58 (20.0%); Hit-and-run, 30 (10.3%); Driver distraction reported, 28 (9.7%); and In a work zone, 1 (0.3%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and cannot be added as separate groups. The characteristics are not findings of fault or cause, and the figures count deaths rather than crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public, with a death within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. Counts follow crash location, not residency. If searching for a car accident lawyer, read these counts as grouped by crash location.^[8][6][7]

Data for 2020 through 2023 are Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates divide deaths for 2020 through 2024 by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjusting for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Adams County, Colorado (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Denver County, Colorado (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Jefferson County, Colorado (2020-2024)
• Colorado car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Truck accident statistics for Arapahoe County, Colorado (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)