El Paso County is once again leading the state in traffic fatalities in 2021, with 60 lives lost in traffic crashes on our roadways. In an effort to impact aggressive driving behaviors, such as speeding, On September 22, 2021, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colorado State Patrol conducted a joint traffic safety operation on I-25 throughout El Paso County. The operation itself took place from the El Paso/Pueblo County line to the El Paso/Douglas County line between 6:30 A.M. and 3:30 P.M. The goal of the operation was to reduce dangerous driving behavior and reinforce the importance of voluntary compliance with traffic laws designed to keep our communities safe. 31 law enforcement officers participated in the operation.
During today’s operation, Deputies, Officers and Troopers:
- Contacted over 250 motorists;
- Issued 223 citations for violations including speeding, running a red light, impaired driving, and other dangerous behaviors;
- Arrested 6 DUI drivers and removed them from our community’s roadways;
- Arrested 3 individuals for felony offenses.
Speeding continues to be an issue in El Paso County. Several drivers were cited for going 90+ miles an hour on I-25 today. Triple digit speeds in the middle of the day were not unheard of, with one driver being cited for going 123 miles per hour. Law enforcement regularly encounters drivers traveling in excess of the posted 65 mph limit in the City of Colorado Springs, and the drivers cited in the safety deployment were going well above that limit.
Commander John Koch of the Colorado Springs Police Department said, “The Colorado Springs Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office proudly work together each day to ensure the safety of the people we serve. Today’s operation – designed to reduce driving behavior that all too often leads to serious injury, death, and tragedy for so many families in the Pikes Peak Region – is one example of that work. All of us are committed to keeping our roadways safe – a goal that starts with each of you when you get behind the wheel.”
Your El Paso County law enforcement agencies are asking for your help to keep your friends, family, and neighbors safe on our roadways. We are asking drivers to slow down, put the phone down, and buckle up for safety. And remember, when it comes to impaired driving - if you feel different, you drive different.