Senate Passes Senator Court’s Bill to Increase Safety on Colorado Roads

March 15, 2019

Denver, CO – The Colorado State Senate today voted 26-to-9 to approve SB19-012, Use Of Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving, a bill sponsored by Senator Lois Court (D-Denver) that would ban the use of handheld electronic devices while operating motor vehicles. The bill now heads to the Colorado House of Representatives for consideration.

“Distracted driving is an epidemic, and using a cell phone while driving is too often the cause of deadly accidents. Our cars are not moving phone booths and shouldn’t be used as such,” said Senator Court.

SB19-012 would make using cell phones while driving - except with a hands-free device - illegal for everyone, expanding on current Colorado law that prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from using cell phones while operating motor vehicle.

“This bill, which has overwhelming support from the public, is designed to stop dangerous behavior and ultimately save lives,” said Senator Court. “It does that by making it illegal to physically hold your cell phone while driving, although drivers can still use their phones with hands-free technologies."

“We just want people to put their phones down and focus on driving. There are more than 40 distracted driving accidents each day in Colorado, adding up to more than 14,000 accidents every year. But these aren’t accidents – they are preventable tragedies,” said Susan Danes, Co-Chair of Coloradans Organized for Responsible Driving. “There are already 16 states with hands-free laws in place, and we don’t want Colorado to be last on that list. Using cell phones while driving has become commonplace, so we need to change behavior - that is what we hope this bill will do.”

To learn more about SB19-012 visit https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-012. 

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