The Impact Of Denver’s Metro Area Population Growth On Intersection Safety

A recent news article highlighted the connection between population growth and traffic safety in the Denver metro area. After rapid population increases during the 2010s, the 2020s have seen more moderate growth. 

However, this slowdown does not necessarily translate into safer streets. Instead, the city has used this time to catch up with much-needed improvements, such as pedestrian countdown signs and lane striping.

Although the pace of change in car accident statistics has slowed to match the slower population growth, the Denver metro area still has tens of thousands of traffic crashes annually.

Population Growth Trends

Colorado added an average of over 41,000 new residents per year from 2013 to 2020. Since 2020, however, the state’s annual net gain in population has averaged just 6,600 per year.

Growth in the Denver metro area population​ has accounted for a large percentage of these numbers. Newcomers flock to cities like Denver, Boulder, Aurora, and Englewood for high-paying jobs and a good quality of life.

Traffic Crash Statistics

The Colorado Department of Transportation offers an interactive crash data dashboard. You can focus on the Denver metro area by selecting data from Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties.

This dashboard shows that annual traffic accidents in the Denver metro area increased rapidly during the 2010s, peaking in 2015 at over 73,000 crashes, and remaining at over 70,000 crashes yearly until 2020. 

During 2020, collisions fell to just over 48,000. Although the number of crashes has slowly climbed since then, it has not reached the levels seen in the late 2010s. In fact, the average number of traffic collisions in the Denver metro area has largely flattened over the past two years. Only about 250 more crashes occurred in 2024 than in 2023.

Connection Between Population And Traffic Accidents

Congestion leads to collision opportunities. More cars on the road create more chances for those vehicles to collide. Less densely populated areas have fewer crashes simply because there are fewer vehicles to crash. 

Moreover, most crashes result from driving errors. On an empty road, a distracted driver who drifts into the next lane might not cause a crash because there are no other vehicles to crash into. 

By contrast, texting while driving in rush hour traffic on Colfax Avenue can pose a higher risk of an intersection accident. One especially high-risk area is near the intersection with Broadway, which over 100,000 cars traverse daily.

Crashes affect more than just vehicle occupants. Pedestrians and cyclists are frequently struck at intersections. Most commonly, intersection crashes are caused by a failure to yield the right-of-way. One common violation occurs when drivers make right turns on red lights. If they don’t look for pedestrians or cyclists in the crosswalk, they could injure or kill someone.

If you’ve been injured in an intersection crash by a Denver-area driver, review your collision with an experienced car accident lawyer to learn about your legal rights.

Contact Bachus & Schanker To Discuss Your Accident With An Intersection Accident Lawyer

Colorado law allows you to pursue compensation when a driver negligently hits you at an intersection as a motorist, pedestrian, or cyclist. 

The team at Bachus & Schanker works from multiple offices across the Denver metro area, helping clients in Denver, Aurora, Englewood, and other communities. Moreover, we are the only law firm in the area that offers a Victims’ Advocate team.