Colorado State Patrol Warns ‘Seconds Matter’ as Distracted Driving Causes Thousands of Crashes

Description: Colorado State Patrol warns that distracted driving remains a leading cause of crashes, with 3,778 incidents in 2025. The “Seconds Matter” campaign urges drivers to stay focused and follow the hands-free law. Read the full Press release from Colorado State Patrol Public Affairs Office...

Seconds Matter

Troopers caution drivers about distractions

(COLO) – April is National Distracted Driving Month, and the Colorado State Patrol doesn't want you to be fooled; multi-tasking behind the wheel is a myth. To be safe and allow for adequate stopping time, drivers need to focus on the road ahead and be prepared to respond to the unexpected, such as a vehicle braking suddenly in front of you, bicyclists sharing a lane, or even obstacles in the road. Colorado State Troopers investigated 3,778 crashes caused by distracted driving in 2025.

"Distraction starts from within us; our impatience, boredom, or even fatigue and distractions can become deadly when a person is driving a vehicle," stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "Seconds, even fractions of seconds, can cause you to miss the chance to avoid a crash. Driving needs to be the sole focus, no matter how much experience you have behind the wheel."

In the 2025 Driving Behavior Survey from CDOT, nearly three out of four drivers (71%) said they ate food or drank beverages while driving in the last seven days, and nearly two out of three (66%) said they talked on a hands-free phone.

Last year, Colorado State Patrol crash investigation data showed distracted driving as the #2 crash cause for all crash types (property damage, injury and fatal). This is why troopers will not only focus on enforcing the Colorado Hands Free law but will also launch a multi-month campaign to educate motorists about the dangers of allowing distractions while driving. We are kicking off the campaign for Distracted Driving Month and continuing the conversation through the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. The campaign is called "Seconds Matter".

Our media partners are being provided with a preview of the Seconds Matter campaign materials.

The Colorado State Patrol is focused on curbing dangerous, avoidable driving behaviors during Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer by sharing data and tips to encourage all Colorado drivers to focus on one task: driving. Colorado's Hands Free law went into effect on January 1, 2025. Seconds Matter; drop the distractions.

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