Colorado
Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Colorado
In 2008, 92 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Colorado. Over the past five years, Colorado crashes involving teen drivers claimed 582 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Colorado
The current GDL law in Colorado includes the following components:
- A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 for learner’s permit, age 16 for the intermediate stage, and age 17 for full licensure
- A mandatory 12 month holding period for the learner’s permit stage
- A minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage, at least 10 of which must be at night
- A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between midnight and 5 a.m. during the intermediate stage (secondary enforcement)
- A passenger restriction prohibiting any passengers for the first 6 months after licensure and prohibiting more than one passenger for the next 6 months after licensure (secondary enforcement)
- A prohibition on texting while driving for all drivers
- A prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones during the learner’s permit stage (secondary enforcement)
These changes are needed to improve Colorado’s GDL law and meet the requirements of the STANDUP Act
- Require age 16 for entry into the learner’s permit stage
- Extend restrictions on teen drivers through age 17
- Strengthen the prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices by extending it for the entire intermediate stage through age 17
