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Those crash totals you see on Twitter can change after the fact

Driving in the snow can be a struggle. Just ask anyone out on the road this Wednesday, or the people back at police dispatch who kept track of it all.

Tweets don’t come with fine print. If they did, the Denver Police Department’s tweets on crash totals during a snow storm would read “subject to change.”

DPD reported nearly 300 crashes in a single storm – 232 reports on Wednesday and 57 reports Thursday morning.

“Reports” is the key word here. Denver police count the crashes coming into their dispatch center and tweet out the growing number.

It’s not an exact science, nor is it meant to be.

“When we’re in the middle of an event, it’s really just kind of that snapshot,” DPD spokesperson Doug Schepman said.

In reality, multiple witnesses could call about a crash, creating multiple reports. Other reports could end up being unfounded.

Police say it would take a while to narrow down the exact number. They would have to respond, take statements and do crash reports, which isn’t always possible when a city is on accident alert and law enforcement is stretched.

Denver police says they’re focusing more on safety. They tweet out the growing numbers and hope people take notice.

“They are approximate numbers, but we feel it’s a good reflection of what’s happening on the roads, and it’s really to let people know what’s happening out there, to help get their attention and share those safety tips to help people get to their destination safely,” Schepman said.

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