US 85 in Colorado: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 144 fatal crashes on US 85 in Colorado killed 169 people, the 6th most of 128 numbered roads in Colorado. In 2024 there were 23 fatal crashes and 23 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 6 counties of Colorado. All fatal crashes in Colorado.
Deaths on US 85 in Colorado by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23 | 23 |
| 2023 | 14 | 14 |
| 2022 | 11 | 16 |
| 2021 | 11 | 14 |
| 2020 | 12 | 15 |
| 2019 | 13 | 16 |
| 2018 | 17 | 21 |
| 2017 | 11 | 11 |
| 2016 | 18 | 19 |
| 2015 | 14 | 20 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 85 in Colorado: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Weld County had the most fatal crashes on US 85 from 2015 to 2024: 79, with 96 deaths. Weld, Adams and Denver counties together held 79% of fatal crashes on US 85 in Colorado from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weld County | 15 | 79 | 96 |
| 2 | Adams County | 3 | 22 | 25 |
| 3 | Denver County | 2 | 13 | 15 |
| 4 | Douglas County | 2 | 13 | 13 |
| 5 | Arapahoe County | 0 | 9 | 10 |
| 6 | El Paso County | 1 | 8 | 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 US 85 in Colorado
144 fatal crashes on US 85 in Colorado from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; the worst month is September.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 6.2 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.2 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 5.6 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan9.0%
- Feb9.7%
- Mar7.6%
- Apr7.6%
- May8.3%
- Jun6.9%
- Jul9.7%
- Aug8.3%
- Sep13.2%
- Oct10.4%
- Nov6.9%
- Dec2.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 85 in Colorado first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 54%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 21%, a rollover in 13%, a pedestrian in 7.6%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 78 | 54% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 30 | 21% |
| Rollover | 19 | 13% |
| Pedestrian | 11 | 7.6% |
| Other | 4 | 2.8% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 0.7% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 0.7% |
| 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 US 85 in Colorado compare with the state
The largest difference from Colorado: from 2015 to 2024, 42% of fatal crashes on US 85 in Colorado were at or near an intersection, against 32% across Colorado. Also above the Colorado share: unlit roads at night. Below it: 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 144 crashes.
| US 85 | Colorado | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 39% | 39% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| At or near an intersection | 42% | 32% | above the Colorado share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 21% | above the Colorado share |
| A drinking driver | 38% | 34% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| Speeding | 28% | 35% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.9% | 9.8% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 54% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.9% | 6.1% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 21% | about the same as the Colorado share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 7.1% | 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 US 85 in Colorado
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 85 in Colorado?
- 144 fatal crashes killed 169 people on US 85 in Colorado from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 23 fatal crashes and 23 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 85 in Colorado do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Weld County had the most fatal crashes on US 85 from 2015 to 2024: 79, with 96 deaths. Adams County was second with 22.
Other roads in Colorado with a page
- I-25
- I-70
- 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
All fatal crashes in Colorado, with every road ranked.
Where the US 85 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 85 in Colorado (filed under 11 spellings, such as "US-85", "US-85 S SANA FE DR", "US-85 S SANTA FE DR", "US-85 SANTA FE DR"). 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.