This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado’s sunny climate has a downside, as walkers, motorcyclists and scooter riders are seeing record fatalities on the road.

The Centennial State had a record number of motorcycle crash fatalities last year, part of a three-year trend in rising crash numbers that began during the COVID pandemic and has yet to abate. Between 2019 and 2022, crash fatalities of all kinds have risen by 27%, with a record number of fatalities in 2022.

The increase was particularly pronounced with two-wheeled and two-legged transport, though it rose across most categories of vehicle type. There were 149 motorcycle crash fatalities in 2022, the highest ever and about twice as many as 10 years ago.

Pedestrian fatalities also reached a record high last year, with 111 across the state, up from 94 in 2021.

Motorcycle crashes happen mainly in highly populated counties along the Front Range, including El Paso County with 25, Jefferson County with 19, Adams County with 12, Denver County with 12 and Arapahoe County with 11.

The Colorado Department of Transportation points to data to urge caution. Half of the motorcycle fatalities in 2022 involved riders without helmets. Nationally, a third of fatalities involved speeding and 41% of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes involved alcohol impairment.