19 of Denver's 23 Fatal Pedestrian Crashes Happened in the Dark

From September 2025 to August 2026, 19 of Denver's 23 fatal pedestrian crashes happened in the dark, according to crash records Denver Police logged and the City and County of Denver publishes in its Open Data Catalog (Traffic Accidents). Crashes in the dark made up 35.6% of all pedestrian crashes in that period but 82.6% of the fatal ones. Put simply, most pedestrian crashes in Denver were not recorded as happening in the dark, but most of the fatal ones were.

We at Anderson Hemmat represent people in Colorado who have been hurt by someone else's negligence, and pedestrians are among the most badly hurt. Below we explain what the records count, what they suggest about walking and driving at night, and what someone who has been hit, or a family member helping them, can do this week.

What Denver's crash records show about fatal pedestrian crashes in the dark

The figures cover the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026. They come from crashes involving a pedestrian that Denver Police recorded. Here is what the records show:

• Pedestrian crashes: 503 crashes with a pedestrian involved.
• Pedestrian crashes in the dark: 179 of those were recorded as happening in the dark, on a lit street or an unlit one.
• Share in the dark: 35.6% of all pedestrian crashes.
• Fatal pedestrian crashes: 23 crashes with FATAL as the top offense recorded.
• Fatal pedestrian crashes in the dark: 19 of those 23.
• Share of fatal crashes in the dark: 82.6%.

Some care with these numbers matters. The fatal figure counts crashes, not people, so it is not a count of the people killed. "Dark" is the light condition the officer recorded, and it covers streets with streetlights as well as streets without them. These are Denver figures only, not statewide figures.

Why the gap matters

If darkness made no difference, you would expect fatal crashes to split between the dark and other light conditions in roughly the same way all pedestrian crashes do. That is not what Denver's records show. Crashes in the dark were 35.6% of pedestrian crashes overall and 82.6% of the fatal ones.

The records do not say why, and we will not claim to know the cause of any particular crash. But the pattern fits what anyone who drives at night already knows. A person on foot is harder to see after dark, even on a street with lights. A driver who sees someone later has less time to brake, and a car that is still moving fast when it hits someone does far more harm.

Practical steps for walking at night in Denver

None of this means a pedestrian is to blame for being hit. Drivers have a duty to watch for people on foot, day or night. Still, there are sensible things you can do to be easier to see:

• Wear something light or reflective when you walk after dark, especially in the colder months when it gets dark early.
• Carry a light. A small clip-on light or your phone's flashlight makes you visible from much farther away.
• Cross at marked crosswalks and signals where you can, and pick the best-lit crossing on your route.
• Make eye contact with drivers before you step out. If you cannot tell whether a driver has seen you, wait.
• Keep your headphones quiet and your eyes up near intersections and driveways.

Practical steps for driving at night

• Slow down after dark, especially on wide, busy streets and near bus stops, where people cross.
• Keep your windshield and headlights clean, and use your high beams when it is safe and legal to do so.
• Look carefully when turning, because people in the crosswalk you are turning across are easy to miss.
• Put the phone away. At night you have less time to react, so a glance away costs more.

If you or someone in your family was hit while walking

When the worst does happen, the questions come fast: who pays the medical bills, what to tell the insurance company, and whether you need a lawyer at all. Here is how it generally works in Colorado.

Get checked by a doctor

See a doctor right away, even if you feel you can walk it off. Some injuries do not show up for days, and a medical record made soon after the crash links your injuries to it.

Preserve what shows the light and the scene

Night crashes often turn on visibility, so the evidence about lighting matters. If you can, or if a family member can, photograph the spot after dark: the streetlights, whether they were working, the crosswalk markings and where the cars come from. Get the police report number. Nearby businesses and homes may have cameras, and that footage can be recorded over quickly, so ask soon.

Expect questions about what you were doing

The driver's insurance company may suggest you were hard to see, wearing dark clothes or crossing in the wrong place. Under Colorado's comparative fault rule, a pedestrian's share of fault can reduce what they recover, and at a high enough level it can bar the claim. We explain how that works in our post on how comparative negligence changes what you can recover. Being out after dark is not negligence. The question is what each person did with the conditions they faced.

If the driver did not stop

Some pedestrian crashes at night are hit and runs. Report the crash to police right away, and check your own auto policy. Uninsured motorist coverage and medical payments coverage on your own policy may apply even though you were walking. Our page on hit and run accidents covers this in more detail.

Watch the deadline

Colorado sets firm deadlines for injury claims, and a claim against a city or other government entity needs written notice much sooner than a regular lawsuit. We explain them in our guide to Colorado's statute of limitations for injury claims.

Every crash is different, and we cannot tell you what your claim is worth or how it will turn out. You can read more about how we handle pedestrian accident claims in Colorado. If you were hurt in Colorado and want to know where you stand, Anderson Hemmat offers a free case review. Call us or send us a message.

Frequently asked questions

Does a fatal crash in these figures mean a person died?

The figures count crashes where FATAL was the top offense Denver Police recorded. They count crashes, not people, so they are not a count of the people killed.

Does "dark" mean there were no streetlights?

No. In these records, dark covers crashes where the light condition was recorded as dark, whether the street was lit or unlit.

Can I still have a claim if I was hit at night wearing dark clothes?

Possibly. Drivers in Colorado have a duty to watch for pedestrians at night. The insurance company may argue that you share some of the fault, and under Colorado's comparative fault rule that can reduce a claim or, at a high enough level, bar it. A free case review is the best way to find out where you stand.

What should I do first after being hit as a pedestrian?

Get checked by a doctor, get the police report number, and if possible have someone photograph the scene after dark, including the streetlights and crosswalk. Then ask nearby businesses about camera footage before it is recorded over.

Source: City and County of Denver, Open Data Catalog, Traffic Accidents (CC BY 3.0).