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When the new year hits, often times many new local laws take action. Heading into 2025 for Colorado stands no different, with a few different laws set to begin in the new year. A few of the laws specifically stem from the Colorado Department of Transportation as they are regarding the rules of the road. These laws are set to begin as soon as tomorrow, as it is the first of the year. This means that if you are on the road tomorrow, driving home from your New Year’s celebration and you are caught breaking these new laws, you will be subject to facing the connected punishments, typically in the form of a fine or fee.
The first new law confronts an issue of hands-free driving in Colorado.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, with this new law in place, the simple act of holding or even touching a phone without a hands-free device while driving is considered illegal. If a driver is caught with their hands on their phone, they will automatically be issued a $75 fine. Furthermore, drivers can expect a $75 fine if they are watching a video on their phone, using a GPS app on their phone without a hands-free device, using their phone at a stoplight, or using their phone while in a traffic jam.
Colorado drivers have been found to be too comfortably using their phone when not in active motion, something the state DOT is trying to combat. Essentially, with the verbiage of the new law, drivers are only legally allowed to hold their phones whilst their car is in park, unless the switch to that mode while at a stoplight or in a traffic jam. If they are in either of those situations, they are still subject to the fine. It is important to note that all of this only applies for when drivers do not have a hands-free device or are choosing not to use it. Additionally, if the driver is calling emergency services, they are allowed to use their devices. Acceptable hands-free devices would be things like Apple CarPlay, dashboard phone mounts, or built-in car speaker systems.
Another new law coming to Colorado roads has to do with child passenger safety in a vehicle.
The law lays out the requirements for what is considered a safe and properly secured child passenger seat. If a driver is seen with a child passenger who is not secured to their definition of safe and properly secured, they will be subject to a ticket. This law shifts how long a child should be placed in a rear-facing car seat. Previously, kids had to be in a rear-facing seat if they were under a year old and/or under 20 pounds. Now, kids are required to be in a rear-facing seat if they are less than two years old and/or are less than 40 pounds. Parents are able to continue using rear-facing car seats beyond these points if they choose, but all must follow this new rule.
The law subsequently altered the standards for front-facing seats and booster seats as well. Children must be in a front-facing car seat if they are under two years old but over 40 pounds or between two and four years old and at least 20 pounds. Children must be in a booster seat if they are between the ages of four and nine and are at least 40 pounds.
