COPS has issued a major update on the new “touch” traffic law, which threatens drivers with $75 fines, only days after it was implemented.
Under the new road law, violators will receive an instant ticket if their hands are in the wrong place, even if the vehicle is not moving.
The crackdown began on June 5 in Colorado, but officers had been warning drivers to change their habits for months.
The “hands-free” law is intended to limit cell phone use while driving, as distractions can result in fatal crashes.
Drivers must no longer touch their devices while their vehicle is in motion, according to new legislation.
This means that even looking at a text at a red light can result in a $75 ticket and two points on your license.
Furthermore, repeat offenders would face even higher fines or additional license suspension points.
Now, days after the crackdown, officials have issued a statement stating that the new law has yielded overwhelmingly positive results.
“In the first five months of the year, the 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,” according to a Colorado Department of Transportation release.
Officials celebrated the apparent successes, citing distracted driving as the third leading cause of traffic accidents in Colorado, according to the Denver Gazette.
The new law was passed during the 100 deadliest days of summer driving, which run from Memorial Day to Labor Day and see a high number of traffic fatalities.
According to CDOT, the leading causes of fatal crashes in the state are impaired driving, speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt, and distraction.
“Handheld technology is all around us, making it increasingly tempting to text and drive or glance at your phone at a stoplight,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, in a press statement.
“It is more important than ever to concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Distracted driving deaths are completely preventable.”
The law went into effect on January 1, and officials hope it will help reduce distracted driving.
“This law really strengthens and builds upon a previous law in Colorado that just bans texting and driving,” Sam Cole, a Colorado Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Manager, told Fox affiliate KXRM-TV.
What defines ‘distracted driving’?
Distracted driving claims lives every year nationwide, and it’s 100% preventable
However, many drivers assume that distracted driving is limited to using their phone while behind the wheel.
While using a phone to text, call, send emails, scroll through or post to social media, and make or accept video calls is illegal nationwide, other behaviors can be just as distracting – and dangerous.
Other behaviors that distract drivers:
- Adjusting the radio or GPS
- Applying makeup in visor mirrors
- Eating and drinking, as it takes one or both hands from the wheel
- Reaching into the backseat to grab personal items
- Rummaging through a purse, glove box, or center console
Thankfully, driving distracted can be prevented. Here are some proven tactics to stay focused:
“You can’t hold your phone while texting. You cannot hold your phone while making a phone call.
“You can’t hold your phone at all.”
This makes Colorado the 31st state to prohibit using a handheld device while driving.
Exemptions under the new law include those who report emergencies, utility workers, code enforcement officers, animal protection officers, first responders, and people in parked vehicles.
These exemptions are in place to ensure that critical communication is not hampered in emergency situations.
