New Colorado Law Bans Handheld Cellphone Use While Driving Starting January 1, 2025
To reduce crashes and make Colorado roads safer, a new state law will take effect on January 1, 2025, that bans handheld use of mobile electronic devices while driving. This means drivers can no longer hold or manually operate a cellphone or similar device while behind the wheel. Whether you’re making a call, texting, checking directions, or browsing, you must use a hands-free option like Bluetooth, a dashboard mount, or a car-integrated system like CarPlay or Android Auto.
Drivers who violate the law face a $75 fine and two points on their license for a first offense. Repeat violations carry higher fines and more points. However, a first-time citation may be dismissed if the driver provides proof of purchasing a hands-free device after the ticket. This gives drivers a chance to comply without facing long-term penalties.
Some drivers are exempt. People can still use their phones if they are reporting an emergency, such as a fire, serious accident, road hazard, medical emergency, or criminal activity. Utility workers, emergency responders, animal protection officers, and code enforcement officials performing official duties are also exempt, as are commercial drivers operating commercial vehicles. The law also does not apply when a vehicle is parked and not in motion.
For adult drivers, voice calls using hands-free technology are allowed. Colorado law does allow headphones, but only in one ear. Manual typing, texting, emailing, or scrolling on a device is not allowed. For drivers under the age of 18, the rules are stricter. They are not allowed to use a phone at all while driving, even hands-free, unless it’s an emergency.
Penalties vary depending on the type of violation and the driver’s age. Minor drivers face a $50 fine and one point for a first offense, and $100 and one point for subsequent offenses. For adult drivers, using a phone to manually send or read text messages is considered a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense and carries a $300 fine and four license points. If the distraction leads to injury or death, it becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
Distracted driving is a serious and growing problem in Colorado. In 2020, there were more than 10,000 crashes involving distracted drivers, resulting in 1,476 injuries and 68 deaths. Despite these numbers, more than 90 percent of Colorado drivers admit to driving distracted. It’s so common that it has become normalized—but it remains extremely dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, texting while driving is six times more dangerous than driving drunk.
The Colorado Department of Transportation’s campaign, Shift into Safe, is designed to change driver behavior. This effort features local voices like Dr. Molly Thiessen and Triny Willerton, a cyclist who was hit by a distracted driver. In one campaign video, a simulation shows how taking your eyes off the road for just three seconds—the time it takes to unwrap a sandwich—could cause a driver to miss seeing 20 cyclists. Triny’s story is a powerful reminder that distracted driving changes lives in an instant.
Distracted driving doesn’t just mean using your phone. It includes eating, adjusting the radio, talking to passengers, watching videos, reaching for items, and more. Even quick tasks take your eyes and mind off the road. While some people believe they can multitask, the science is clear: your brain can only fully focus on one thing at a time. Every distraction increases the risk of a crash.
Shift into Safe encourages all Coloradans to make a conscious decision to drive with full attention. CDOT’s research shows that over half of Colorado drivers have read a message on their phone while driving, and nearly as many admitted to sending one. Many also talk on their phone behind the wheel. This needs to change.
The message is simple: whatever it is, it can wait. Don’t drive distracted. Shift into Safe.