JEFFERSON COUNTY, Co. — JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is increasing patrols on four major highways to crack down on aggressive driving, as crash data shows collisions are up on each roadway compared to last year.
Deputies are targeting Highway 93, Highway 285, C-470 and I-70 as part of Friday's enforcement effort. Speeding is the number one complaint the sheriff's office receives from residents, according to Mark Techmeyer, director of public affairs for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Data from the Colorado Department of Transportation shows the number of crashes has increased this year on all four highways compared to the same period last year. On I-70 alone, there have been 41 more crashes this year than during the same time last year.
Watch the Full report below
The enforcement push comes after video captured a driver traveling 111 miles per hour on one of the targeted roadways.
Techmeyer said drivers caught going 25 miles per hour or more over the speed limit face serious consequences.
"We want to make it clear that if you are going 25 miles an hour over the speed limit in the state of Colorado, not just JeffCo, it is a mandatory court appearance in front of a judge, and we will give you a summons for it. And it is expensive, and then the judge can do what he's going to do with you," Techmeyer said.
Resident Tom Rasser described the problem as more than just a nuisance.
"It's you know people people driving well beyond the speed limits," Rasser said.
Rasser said the consequences of aggressive driving are frequent.
"There's probably a closure, you know, once a week or so," Rasser said.
Techmeyer said officials are not entirely sure what is driving the increase in aggressive behavior on the roads.
"It's just ramped up, and we don't know if it's just a thought process of society, and everyone's in such a hurry to where they're going, or they're just out of patience with their fellow citizens. We don't know, but it's got to stop," Techmeyer said.
In June, Evergreen Parkway residents started a petition calling for increased patrols, regular speed enforcement and possible changes to speed limits. Techmeyer said deputies are still discussing speed limits on Evergreen Parkway and have ramped up enforcement there numerous times over the past two months.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
