Citations for cell phone use nearly tripled this year. Colorado State Patrol says enforcement is working to reduce distracted driving

State troopers are cracking down on drivers who use cell phones and electronic devices while on the road — and Colorado State Patrol says the upped enforcement is helping to reduce crashes.

So far this year, state troopers have issued 701 citations related to using electronic devices while driving, according to a news release from the State Patrol. That’s an 188% increase — nearly triple the 243 citations issued during the same period last year.

“Cellphones, smartwatches, and other mobile devices make it very tempting to call, text, and scroll while behind the wheel,” Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. Matthew Packard said in a statement. “These decisions, despite feeling harmless or second nature in the moment, increase the likelihood of a crash and put the lives of everyone on the road in danger.”

This is the first year that Colorado’s new hands-free law has been in effect. The new law extended the ban on cellphones beyond just texting to include holding or manually using a phone in any way.

At the same time citations for using a cell phone while driving have increased, State Patrol said it has recorded a decrease in the number of crashes involving inattentive driving. In 2025, troopers investigated 2,816 crashes related to inattentive driving through the end of September, according to the news release. That’s an 11% decrease from the same period last year.

Penalties for violating the new law start with a $75 fine and two license suspension points for the first offense. First-time violators can have the charge dismissed if they provide proof of purchasing a hands-free accessory, such as dashboard mounts or car speakerphone systems, to comply with the state’s new law.  Repeat offenders face higher fines and more license suspension points.

“Using a device behind the wheel is a five-second blindfold for any driver,” Packard said. “No text message, phone call, or social media post is worth the risk.”

A 2025 Driver Behavior Survey reported that one-third of drivers in the state said they’ve picked up their phone to read a text or social media in the past seven days, and roughly the same number of drivers reported picking up their phone to make or receive a call.

The survey found a significant decline of nearly 20% in those numbers compared to 2024, but the Colorado Department of Transportation said, “distracted driving behaviors remain concerning.” 

Drivers 18 to 44 years old reported a higher percentage of distracted driving behaviors than older drivers, with nearly half of younger drivers reporting that they had picked up their phone while driving in the past week, according to the survey.

In collaboration with the transportation department, OtterBox is offering a 30% discount on all hands-free accessories with the code  “CDOTHANDSFREEFALL,” according to the news release.

Transportation officials also want drivers to know about the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature, which blocks calls, texts and other notifications when connected to a vehicle’s Bluetooth system or when manually enabled. The feature is available on both iPhones and Android devices.

“If you can’t resist looking at a text message or social media notification, put your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb,'” CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk said in a statement. “Phone addiction and distracted driving are public safety issues in Colorado. Now is the time to create new habits — consider the safety of yourself and others on the road, and put your phone down while behind the wheel.”