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ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — The FOX31 and Channel 2 crew rode along with a traffic safety deputy Tuesday to take a deeper dive into vehicle crashes with pedestrians in Centennial.
“We have a ton of big intersections and neighborhoods where people are walking everywhere,” said Deputy Ben Sears, with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Unit.
Sears investigates dozens of crashes involving people on foot, scooters, bikes and other modes of transportation versus vehicles. He said when it comes to who’s at fault, it’s about 50-50.
“I think sometimes people don’t want to go to a crosswalk. They just want to cross right away,” Sears said.
He said in the evening or when it’s dark outside, pedestrians are more likely to get hit because they are harder to see. He said it’s important for pedestrians to follow the street rules and wear something bright or reflective at night so drivers can see you.
He said the time change in the fall, when it gets darker earlier, is a time when they possibly see an uptick in pedestrians getting hit.
“You gotta be paying attention and look out for yourself. Drivers have too many distractions now,” Sears said.
“It all depends on circumstances, but a lot of them, it’s just a lighting issue,” Sears said.
Auto vs. pedestrian crashes in Centennial
The sheriff’s office traffic safety unit only covers the city of Centennial. They shared this data, which counts pedestrian crashes in Centennial:
- 33 total in 2023
- Pedestrian: 14
- Bicycle: 16
- Scooter: 1
- Other: 2
- 31 total in 2022
- Pedestrian: 19
- Bicycle: 11
- Scooter: 1
- Other: 0
The Colorado Department of Transportation also has its fatality data online when it comes to the roads. They say from Jan. 1-Dec. 1, 2023, some 114 pedestrians and 20 cyclists have been killed on Colorado roads.
“Almost any crash is preventable. It is just to what extent,” Sears said.
FOX31 and Channel 2 also reached out to Colorado State Patrol for their data on auto versus pedestrian crashes and are waiting to hear back.
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