Colorado State Patrol troopers are warning motorists that distracted driving includes more than just texting while operating a vehicle.
These warnings come as law enforcement officials attempt to reduce road fatalities and improve safety by curbing the use of handheld electronic devices. Despite the implementation of a strict hands-free law, troopers report that many drivers continue to manually use phones while behind the wheel.
The state's hands-free law took effect Jan. 1, 2025 [2, 3]. According to data reported in 2026, the number of tickets issued for violations of this law rose significantly. In 2025, troopers issued 456 tickets [3], compared to 126 tickets issued in 2024 [3].
Troopers emphasize that the law applies to any manual interaction with a device. A Colorado State Patrol spokesperson said, "If you are on your phone, looking at a map or holding it to call someone, that all..." [1]. The spokesperson's warning highlights that using a device for navigation or phone calls is still a violation if the driver is holding the hardware.
Despite the increase in citations, reports on the law's effectiveness vary. Some reports suggest the law is helping to reduce distracted driving and improve general road safety [5]. However, other observations indicate that a significant number of drivers continue to ignore the rules [1].
The scale of the problem remains a concern for safety officials. There were 3,778 reported crashes involving the use of handheld devices after the law took effect [4]. This volume of accidents suggests a persistent gap between legal requirements and driver behavior on U.S. highways.
“Tickets for handheld device use nearly tripled in the first full year after the 2025 hands-free law took effect.”
The sharp increase in citations suggests that the Colorado State Patrol is shifting toward more aggressive enforcement of the 2025 hands-free mandate. While the rise in tickets indicates higher police activity, the high number of reported crashes involving handheld devices shows that legislative changes alone have not yet eliminated the habit of distracted driving among the general public.
