Colorado's crackdown on distracted driving is showing some teeth as the state's new hands-free law leads to a significant spike in traffic citations. As reported by the Colorado Department of Transportation, figures reveal a 135% increase in the number of tickets handed down for this offense. Just within this year alone, the Colorado State Patrol has issued 94 citations for cell phone or mobile device use behind the wheel. This uptick is remarkable, considering it's over half the total number of citations issued in the entirety of 2024.
But it's not all about punishment. The new regulations are making a mark, evidenced by a report from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), which outlines a 3.3% decrease in cellphone use while driving among drivers in Colorado since the law took effect. These changes are more than number-crunching exercises. CMT estimates that the observed behavioral shift toward greater road attention has already potentially prevented 88 crashes and 49 injuries, a tangible representation of lives and well-being safeguarded by the policy.
As the state steers into Distracted Driving Awareness Month beginning April 1, CDOT is putting out a clarion call for all drivers to "keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel," as per the Colorado Department of Transportation. The hands-free law, in effect since January 1, 2025, has outlawed engaging with cellphones or any mobile devices while driving, barring the use of hands-free accessories. It's a no-go for device handling at any point while on the road, including times when the vehicle is stationary at traffic signals or in congestion.
