Colorado Gets Tough with New Texting and Driving Fines
Have you had your lifetime's fill of distracted drivers? Colorado just turned it up a few notches when it comes to punishing those who text and drive.
A few months ago I witnessed a driver blowing right through the stoplight at 5th and Grand. Needless to say, she had a phone in front of her face and was completely oblivious to the existence of a stoplight, to say nothing about the fact it was red. In this case, she wasn't a "distracted" driver. The reality is her driving was secondary to whatever it was she was doing on the phone.
Early Monday morning, SB 27 easily passed the state House on a 56 - 8 vote. As a result, the penalty for texting and driving could increase from a $50 fine and one point off your driver's license to a $300 fine and four points.
The measure is now on its way to Governor Hickenlooper, who is expected to sign it into law.
What if you're texting while your car is motionless? Can you text while stopped at a red light? According to 9News, while texting when operating a moving vehicle is a major no-no, texting while stopped at a light will not get you a ticket.
Does this new measure only encompass texting? What if someone is playing a game on their phone or downloading an app while driving? According to 9News, state law would dictate that any handling of a phone which leads to distracted driving would be considered a violation.