DENVER -- In the span of just weeks, nearly 50 people have died on Colorado roads, putting the state on track to blow past its fatal crash numbers from the previous three years.
The most recent data available by the Colorado Department of Transportation shows at least 353 deaths on state roads as of Aug. 22.
That number is set to shatter an already high number recorded in 2015, when fatal crashes led to nearly 550 crashes on state roads.
The top factors leading to a crash are speed, driving impaired, distraction, poorly maintained vehicles and weather. But each factor can be combated through heads-up driving and defensive actions.
State officials are concerned about the rising number of traffic related deaths, deploying a set of electronic signs that list the hundreds of deaths, asking drivers to buckle up and slow down.
Those officials aren't wrong. In many fatal crashes, drivers were traveling above the speed limit and at times, aren't using safety belts.
Officials say they want drivers to remember when they're driving they hold their own life, along with the lives of others, in their hands.
Check out our list of the top mistakes and how to combat them.
---------
Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.