According to Allstate’s America’s Best Drivers report, Lakewood has the 39th safest drivers out of the nation’s 200 largest cities. Comparing Lakewood to other cities in Colorado, Denver lands at 83rd on the list, and Aurora sits at 92nd.
Even in a city with safe roads, car accidents still happen. According to Lakewood car accident statistics, the city had over 2,100 traffic accidents in 2023. If you suffer an injury in a crash, an attorney from Matos Personal Injury Lawyers can help you pursue compensation from the at-fault driver and their insurer.
Contact our Lakewood, CO law firm at (720) 912-7274 for a free consultation with a knowledgeable attorney.
How Matos Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Lakewood, CO
Matos Personal Injury Lawyers has represented injured clients in Lakewood, Colorado, since 2016. Our Lakewood car accident lawyers have over 44 years of combined legal experience fighting against negligent drivers and auto insurers.
If you get injured due to someone else’s actions, our attorneys can provide:
- Legal advice and counsel so you can make informed decisions about your case
- Skilled negotiators to attempt to settle your insurance claim
- Aggressive advocates with extensive courtroom experience if your case does not settle
Car accidents can happen anywhere at any time, regardless of what the statistics say. Contact our Lakewood personal injury lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and the compensation you can seek for your injuries.
How Many Crashes Happen in Lakewood, Colorado?
Lakewood had 2,142 traffic crashes in 2023. This number represented a significant drop compared to prior years.
Lakewood’s traffic crash numbers included:
- 55 pedestrian accidents
- 30 bicycle accidents
- 431 single-vehicle accidents
This leaves 1,641 multi-vehicle collisions. These collisions may have involved passenger cars, pickup trucks, and motorcycles. They may also have involved commercial motor vehicles like semi-trucks, buses, and delivery vans.
How and When Do Car Crashes Happen in Lakewood, CO?
Car accident statistics can help you understand where crashes happen and how to reduce your risk of injury.
Crash Outcomes
Most traffic crashes in Lakewood only caused property damage.
The remaining crashes caused:
- Four fatal injuries
- 60 serious injuries that incapacitated the victim
- 254 minor injuries that produced visible wounds without incapacitating the victim
- 369 possible injuries that caused pain or other symptoms without any visible wound
These injury classifications happen at the crash scene. They do not necessarily reflect a long-term prognosis for crash victims. For example, a concussion might incapacitate a victim, resulting in a crash report listing it as a serious injury. However, the victim would likely recover within two months without any long-term effects.
Conversely, the police would classify a herniated disc as a possible injury. The injury could cause chronic back pain and permanent disabilities due to nerve damage.
Vulnerable Road Users
Traffic crashes in Lakewood caused:
- Four pedestrian fatalities
- 53 pedestrian injuries
- One cyclist fatality
- 42 cyclist injuries
Police reports blamed 34 pedestrians and cyclists for their accidents. They blamed the remaining 66 crashes on careless drivers.
Crash Causes
Crashes happen for many reasons.
Some of the most common reasons for vehicle collisions in Lakewood include:
- Careless driving, including distracted and inattentive driving
- Improper surveillance of the road or traffic conditions
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Disobeying traffic signs and signals
The statistics identify inattentive and distracted driving as a leading cause of traffic crashes. Distractions can include anything that occupies your hands, eyes, or mind while driving.
Some common distractions include:
- Electronics use
- Eating and drinking
- Talking to passengers
- Adjusting the sound system
- Viewing maps and navigation systems
Another common cause of traffic crashes is a failure to yield the right of way.
This can happen in a few ways, including:
- Proceeding through a multi-way stop out of turn
- Turning into the path of an approaching vehicle
- Driving through a crosswalk occupied by pedestrians or bicyclists
While intoxicated driving was not a top cause of traffic accidents, it was a leading cause of traffic fatalities. Of the crashes in Lakewood, 160 resulted in DUI charges. Police suspected drugs or alcohol played a role in an additional 253 Lakewood crashes.
Dangerous Times To Drive in Lakewood
As you might suspect, most collisions happen during rush hour on weekdays. Specifically, crash numbers climb throughout the day before peaking between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Weekend days had fewer crashes, and those were evenly distributed throughout the day. Sundays are the safest day to drive.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Lakewood Car Accident Attorneys
Car accident injuries can disable you, leaving you unable to work or perform tasks around the house. Contact Matos Personal Injury Lawyers at (720) 912-7274 for a free consultation to discuss the effects of your injuries and how we can help you pursue an accident claim.