I-70 in Colorado: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 287 fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado killed 322 people, the 2nd most of 128 numbered roads in Colorado. In 2024 there were 28 fatal crashes and 33 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 13 counties of Colorado. All fatal crashes in Colorado. I-70 in every state.
Deaths on I-70 in Colorado by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28 | 33 |
| 2023 | 32 | 35 |
| 2022 | 37 | 40 |
| 2021 | 40 | 43 |
| 2020 | 21 | 22 |
| 2019 | 21 | 25 |
| 2018 | 26 | 31 |
| 2017 | 31 | 38 |
| 2016 | 21 | 24 |
| 2015 | 30 | 31 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-70 in Colorado: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Garfield County had the most fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024: 42, with 49 deaths. Garfield, Arapahoe and Denver counties together held 37% of fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garfield County | 3 | 42 | 49 |
| 2 | Arapahoe County | 3 | 33 | 39 |
| 3 | Denver County | 1 | 32 | 33 |
| 4 | Jefferson County | 3 | 31 | 39 |
| 5 | Eagle County | 2 | 29 | 33 |
| 6 | Mesa County | 3 | 29 | 31 |
| 7 | Adams County | 4 | 20 | 20 |
| 8 | Kit Carson County | 3 | 18 | 22 |
| 9 | Lincoln County | 2 | 15 | 17 |
| 10 | Elbert County | 2 | 15 | 16 |
| 11 | Summit County | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| 12 | Clear Creek County | 1 | 10 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-70 in Colorado
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 16 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.6 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.9 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 3.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.8 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.2%
- Feb4.2%
- Mar7.3%
- Apr7.7%
- May7.7%
- Jun7.0%
- Jul11.8%
- Aug9.8%
- Sep9.8%
- Oct10.5%
- Nov9.8%
- Dec10.5%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-70 in Colorado
6.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 450 miles of I-70 in Colorado, against 7.9 for all interstates in Colorado. That ranks 3 of 3 interstates in Colorado and 108 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 31%; a rollover in 29%, a collision with another vehicle in 26%, a pedestrian in 7.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 88 | 31% |
| Rollover | 82 | 29% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 75 | 26% |
| Pedestrian | 21 | 7.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 12 | 4.2% |
| Other | 9 | 3.1% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado compare with the state
The largest difference from Colorado: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado were at or near an intersection, against 32% across Colorado. Also above the Colorado share: rural roads, unlit roads at night and distracted drivers. Below it: speeding, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Colorado. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 287 crashes.
| I-70 | Colorado | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 63% | 39% | above the Colorado share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 32% | below the Colorado share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 33% | 21% | above the Colorado share |
| A drinking driver | 29% | 34% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| Speeding | 28% | 35% | below the Colorado share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 18% | 9.8% | above the Colorado share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 56% | 54% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.1% | 6.1% | below the Colorado share |
| A motorcycle involved | 13% | 21% | below the Colorado share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.0% | 14% | below the Colorado share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-70 in Colorado?
- 287 fatal crashes killed 322 people on I-70 in Colorado from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 28 fatal crashes and 33 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-70 in Colorado do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Garfield County had the most fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024: 42, with 49 deaths. Arapahoe County was second with 33.
- When do fatal crashes on I-70 in Colorado happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 16 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-70 in Colorado per mile?
- 6.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 450 miles of road, against 7.9 for all interstates in Colorado. That ranks 3 of 3 interstates in Colorado and 108 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Colorado with a page
- I-25
- I-76
- State Highway 121
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 30
- State Highway 470
- State Highway 83
- State Highway 88
- State Highway 95
- US 160
- US 24
- US 285
All fatal crashes in Colorado, with every road ranked.
Where the I-70 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-70 in Colorado (filed under 2 spellings, such as "I-70", "I-70 HOV LANE"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.