Inattentive driving crashes down 19% in first five months of new law
News Release
Statewide — In the first five months of the year, Colorado State Patrol responded to 1,161 crashes involving inattentive driving, a 19% decrease from the 1,432 crashes that occurred during the same span in 2024. This is promising news ahead of the summer driving season, a time when traffic deaths tend to spike. As of Jan. 1, 2025, holding a cellphone or other mobile device while driving is illegal under the hands-free law. Hands-free accessories are permitted. The law is intended to reduce the number of crashes that involve inattentive or distracted drivers.
To encourage safe driving this summer, the Colorado Department of Transportation is urging every Coloradan to continue to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. Penalties for violating the new hands-free law start with a $75 fine and two license suspension points for the first offense. First-time violators can have the charge dismissed if they provide proof of purchasing a hands-free accessory. Repeat offenders face higher fines and more license suspension points.
Five months after implementing the new hands-free law in Colorado, preliminary data shows that traffic deaths are down 11% from this time last year. Since January, there have been 217 fatalities on Colorado roads. This data follows the trend of declining traffic fatalities observed in Colorado since a peak in 2022. Distracted driving remains the third leading cause of traffic crashes in Colorado.
The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, during which Colorado historically sees a spike in fatal crashes. In 2024, there were 220 traffic fatalities in Colorado during this timeframe, accounting for 32% of all fatalities during the year. Impairment, speed, not buckling up and distracted driving are the top factors in fatal crashes in Colorado.
As seen in the graph below, the 91 fatalities in July 2023 show a particularly high spike. The month was the most deadly on Colorado’s roadways in the past decade.
“Handheld technology is all around us, making it increasingly tempting to text and drive or glance at your phone at a stoplight. Travel safe this summer and drop the distraction – no notification, text or call is worth your life,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of Colorado State Patrol. “With more motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians out and about during the warmer months, it’s more important than ever to focus on the road and your surroundings. Distracted driving deaths are entirely preventable.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at 50 mph, a driver travels the length of a football field during a five-second glance at their phone. A seemingly harmless text or scroll through social media could cause a crash or serious injury to yourself and others. A CDOT report from 2024 shows that distracted drivers are involved in up to 11% of traffic fatalities.
“Summertime fun begins with safety behind the wheel. Distracted driving puts you and other motorists at risk,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Whether you're headed to a pool party, Rockies game or Red Rocks concert, put your phone down and pay attention to the road. You could prevent a crash or serious injury on our roads.”
In line with Colorado’s decrease in traffic deaths, distracted driving and fatality trends in other states with distracted driving laws also show that following law implementation, distracted driving rates fell, saving lives. In Michigan, a 2023 law banning hand-held cellphone use led to a 12.8% decrease in distracted driving crashes within the first year. In Ohio, fatal crashes involving a distracted driver declined by 19.4% following a ban on hand-held cellphone use.
Now is the time to stop using your mobile devices and pay attention to the road, CDOT says. To raise awareness of the new law and educate Coloradans on the dangers of using a cell phone while driving, CDOT has launched the “Heads Up, Phones Down, Colorado!” campaign. The campaign includes outreach on social media, paid ads and collaboration with key stakeholders such as AAAColorado, the Colorado State Patrol, Bicycle Colorado, OtterBox and safety partners throughout the state.
CDOT urges all drivers to acquire hands-free accessories such as dashboard mounts and car speakerphone systems to comply with the new law. To encourage Coloradans to comply, OtterBox is offering a 30% discount on all hands-free accessories with code “CDOTHANDSFREESUMMER.” The code is valid through Sept. 30 and is valid for one redemption per customer.
The law includes exemptions for individuals reporting emergencies, utility workers, code enforcement officers, animal protection officers, first responders and individuals in parked vehicles. These exceptions ensure that critical communications are not hindered in emergency or essential service situations. For more information on the law, visit codot.gov/handsfreeco.
