2022 expected to be the deadliest year on the roads in Colorado Springs history

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Colorado Springs police are imploring the public to practice safer driving measures as the city is expected to surpass an unwanted record.

With the latest deadly crash Monday night, Colorado Springs will likely see 52 deadly crashes in 2022, with more than a month still left in the year.

“It does break a record for us,” said Lt. Shannon Snuggs with the Colorado Springs Police Department.

At the time of writing, the official cause of death for the victim has not been released from the El Paso County Coroner. Police say the official number of traffic deaths still sits at 51, but if it is confirmed that the man died from being hit by a vehicle, that number will surpass the previous record of 51.

That has been a recurring and troubling theme in the city, with a new marker set four out of the last six years. Prior to this month, 2020 had been the deadliest year on the roads in city history with 51 fatalities, topping the then-record-breaking 48 fatalities in 2018. 2018 exceeded 2017′s 39 fatalities -- also a record at the time.

The Colorado Springs Police Department told reporter Kasia Kerridge last year that it sends condolence letters to every family who lost a loved one in a crash.

“There will be a blurb on the media and then they’re kind of forgotten,” Sgt. Jim Stinson said of making sure families know their brother, mother, daughter is not just a number.

Snuggs told 11 News that with the holidays nearly upon us, these tragedies can hit even harder for surviving relatives. She had the usual advice -- for drivers to slow down, drive safe, take their time getting where they need to go -- with the reminder that doing otherwise will leave families with an empty spot at the table this season.

“Every time that somebody’s in one of these traffic fatalities, that’s a brother, sister, mom or dad that’s not going to be around for the holidays,” she said.