Colorado Auto Insurance [Rates + Cheap Coverage Guide]

Colorado Statistics Summary
Roadway Miles	88,740
Vehicle Miles	48,985 Million
Vehicles Registered	4,632,430
Population	5,607,154
Most Popular Vehicle	Subaru Outback
Uninsured Drivers	13.3 Percent
Total Traffic Fatalities	648
Speeding Fatalities	230
DUI Fatalities	177
Full Coverage Average Annual Premium	$981.64
Liability Average Annual Premium	$520.04
Collision Average Annual Premium	$287
Comprehensive Average Annual Premium	$174.61
Cheapest Provider	USAA

If you’re living in Colorado, you’re lucky. The recreational activities at your doorstep are endless and the beauty around you is breathtaking.

You may have noticed your car insurance rates rising recently. In fact, car insurance in Colorado has been rising three times the pace of inflation, according to the Denver Post.

Higher bills are something no one looks forward to. But what choice do you have? You don’t have to feel stuck. We’ll help you navigate the insurance requirements as well as help you find ways to save.

One great way to save is to compare auto insurance quotes and find the lower rate and then switch to that company. You can compare quotes right here for free.

Colorado Car Insurance Coverage and Rates

The average Colorado resident drives just under 37 miles a day for a total of 13,443 in a year. Every mile on the road is a mile of risk for something to go wrong, especially when you live where ice and snow are possible half the year.

You need car insurance, but knowing how to get started finding the right kind of coverage can feel overwhelming.

You don’t need to worry. We’ll help you learn what is required, what you might want, and where you can find it for the best price.

– Colorado Minimum Coverage

Colorado is a “fault” state. If you cause an accident, you are responsible to pay for all the damages. The state of Colorado requires car insurance with the minimum limits of 25/50/15 for anyone who drives. This is known as “basic coverage.”

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can be rejected in writing. If not rejected, it will automatically be applied to a basic policy.

Colorado Minimum Coverage Requirements	*May be waived if rejected. UUM must be rejected in writing. MedPay may be rejected in writing or in the same way you buy insurance.
Bodily Injury Liability	$25,000 per person $50,000 per accident
Property Damage Liability	$15,000 per accident
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage*	$25,000 per person $50,000 per accident
Medical Payments (MedPay)*	$5000

If, on the off chance, you have 25 or more vehicles registered in your name, you have the option to self-insure. According to the Colorado General Assembly:

Self‑insurance.  Any individual who has over 25 vehicles registered to his or her name may qualify as a self‑insurer by applying for a certificate of self‑insurance from the state Insurance Commissioner.

The Insurance Commissioner must ensure that the individual will be able to pay the minimum coverages required by the state.  For more information on self‑insurance, contact the state’s Division of Insurance within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

The average person doesn’t have 25 vehicles! So, chances are pretty high you need traditional auto insurance. Now you know how much insurance you’re required to have.

But is the requirement enough? Probably not if you have assets or future assets to protect. Imagine you have the minimum required limits and you cause an accident which totals a $60,000 truck. Your policy will pay the $15,000 limit, and you’ll be responsible for the remaining $45,000.

Most experts recommend liability limits of 100/300/50.

The Wall Street Journal recommends the following rule of thumb in regards to insurance coverage limits:

Make sure you’re covered for an amount equal to the total value of your assets (Add up the dollar values of your house, your car, savings, and investments).

Keep in mind that basic coverage provides you with liability protection. It does not pay to repair or replace your vehicle following an accident that you cause or after non-accident-related damage. Full coverage, which includes comprehensive and collision insurance, is what you need for that protection.

If you have a lease or loan, you will likely be required to carry full coverage.

Next up, we’ll look at the average Colorado resident and what he or she pays for car insurance. What you pay will probably vary from this, but this will give you a baseline idea.

– Premiums as a Percentage of Income

Your Disposable Personal Income (DPI) is what you make after taxes have been taken out.

Colorado Car Insurance as a Percentage of Income
Annual Full Coverage Average Premiums	Monthly Full Coverage Average Premiums	Annual Per Capita Disposable Personal Income	Monthly Per Capita Disposable Personal Income	Percentage of Income
$939.52	$78.29	$43,609.00	$3,634.08	2.15

Basic coverage is what is required by law. Full coverage includes liability, comprehensive, and collision insurance. We’ll break down the average cost of each.

Type of Coverage	Average Annual Cost
Liability	$520.04
Collision	$287
Comprehensive	$174.61
Full Coverage	$981.64

We’ve examined some statistics about what car insurance costs the average Coloradan. Now, we’re going to look at an important statistic concerning insurance companies: loss ratio.

– Loss Ratio

Why does this stat matter? What is a loss ratio? Well, a loss ratio shows you the comparison of the premiums taken in to the claims paid out. It matters because it shows you where a company’s money is going: into the company or back to the consumer.

Murphy and Prachthauser sum it up well:

Lower pay loss ratio means the insurance company is paying more for salaries, defense costs, and advertising, rather than paying the policyholders who purchased their coverage. All other things being equal, try to find car insurance companies with a higher pay loss ratio.

Type of Coverage	2012	2013	2014
Medical Payments (MedPay)	85.64%	82.53%	77.44%
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage	96.63%	96.81%	95.82%

– Add-ons, Endorsements, Riders

Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage is included in a basic policy unless the consumer rejects it in writing. Before you reject it, consider the following statistics:

Uninsured Motorists in Colorado
Percentage of Motorists without Insurance	Colorado's Rank Nationally
13.30%	19th

Over 13 percent of Colorado drivers don’t have insurance! If they cause an accident with you and you don’t have Uninsured Motorist Coverage, you will wish you did.

Medical Payments is another coverage that is included in a basic Colorado policy but can be rejected in writing or in the form in which the policy was purchased (e.g. internet or phone).

There are several additional coverage options that you can learn more about to decide if they’re a good choice for your situation. We’ll look at those right here:

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance

Pay-by-the-mile car insurance plans are growing in popularity, but currently, there are no companies offering by-the-mile plans in Colorado.

Progressive and Allstate both offer usage-based programs in Colorado. With these programs, you can get a discount based on how well and how much you drive.

– Male Vs. Female Rates in Colorado

We compiled actual quotes for hypothetical 25-year-olds. One hypothetical person was male, the other female. Besides that difference, all other variables were equal. Here’s how their rates compared:

Male vs Female
Gender	Geico	Progressive
Female 25-year-old Quotes	$130.54	$69.33
Male 25-year-old Quotes	$108.21	$64.71

Both companies charged the female driver more than the male.

In another study, we compared rates for 55-year-olds and with identical demographic and driving history information, besides gender, you can see how their rates compared:

Male vs. Female Rates
Gender	Geico	Progressive
Female 55-year-old Quotes	$177.93	$50.08
Male 55-year-old Quotes	$172.38	$47.67

Once again, the female quotes are slightly higher than the male quotes.

– Cheapest and Most Expensive Colorado Insurance Rates by County

Cheapest Counties	Rate	Most Expensive Counties	Rate
Grand Junction	$1,255.68	Denver	$1,722.02
Boulder	$1,308.61	Aurora	$1,701.78
Estes Park	$1,309.21	Pueblo	$1,591.16
Alamosa	$1,323.07	Limon	$1,540.80
Durango	$1,354.86	Colorado Springs	$1,538.77
Cortez	$1,363.76	Lakewood	$1,510.47
Gunnison	$1,369.97	Arvada	$1,456.29
Steamboat Springs	$1,379.17	Westminster	$1,452.48
Glenwood Springs	$1,383.08	La Junta	$1,440.19
Littleton Highlands Ranch	$1,394.35	Trinidad	$1,439.49
Sterling	$1,395.61	Fort Morgan	$1,430.75

Denver’s average rates are nearly $500 higher than Grand Junction’s.

Colorado Car Insurance Companies

You have so many options for who to use as your insurer. It’s hard to know where to begin. Who’s going to give me the best rates? Who is going to be the easiest to work with? Who’s good?!

We’ll answer those questions and show you how to get started finding the best insurance company for you.

When you choose a car insurance company, its reputation matters as much as or more than its rates. We’ll show how the largest companies rate in the areas of financial stability and customer satisfaction.

– Financial Ratings

AM Best is a credit rating agency. They evaluate insurance companies and then give them a grade based on their financial stability. The table below shows the ten largest insurance companies in Colorado by market share with their AM Best rating.

Company	AM Best Rating
State Farm	A++
USAA	A++
Geico	A++
Progressive	A+
Allstate	A+
American Family	A
Farmers	A
Liberty Mutual	A
Travelers	A++
Nationwide	A+

– Customer Satisfaction Ratings

– Companies in Colorado with the Least and Most Complaints

When you deal with an insurance company, ideally, you’ll work together and both be satisfied with the outcome. That doesn’t always happen, and when the consumer is dissatisfied, he or she can file a complaint. Those complaints, whether justified or not are considered in the complaint ratios shown below.

Obviously, a large company will have more complaints than a small company due to the sheer volume of business they conduct, so what matters more than the number of complaints is the complaint ratio.

How many complaints does a company receive per one million dollars of business? The answer is the complaint ratio.

These are the companies that had the best complaint ratios in the state.

Company Name	Total Complaints	Confirmed Complaints	Complaint Ratio	Company Name	Total Complaints	Confirmed Complaints	Complaint Ratio
AIG	0	0	0	MetLife	4	3	0.17
Essentia	0	0	0	Nationwide Agribusiness	6	3	0.18
Farmers Alliance Mutual	0	0	0	360 Insurance	1	1	0.2
Grange	0	0	0	Farmers	53	18	0.2
Great Northern	1	0	0.08	USAA	32	11	0.2
Country Preferred	2	0	0.09	Geico	6	2	0.21
Travelers Home and Marine	2	0	0.12	Liberty Mutual	43	16	0.21
Amica Mutual	4	2	0.15	State Farm	174	62	0.21
SECURA Supreme	1	0	0.15	Horace Mann	1	0	0.22

Next are the companies that had the worst complaint ratios.

Company Name	Total Complaints	Confirmed Complaints	Complaint Ratio	Company Name	Total Complaints	Confirmed Complaints	Complaint Ratio
Occidental Fire & Casualty	21	5	12.36	Financial Indemnity	8	1	1.03
Young America	39	15	2.74	Permanent General of Ohio	49	15	0.95
Loya	76	27	2.49	Safeway	19	5	0.91
Mendota	28	13	2.45	Central Mutual	4	1	0.88
National General	11	3	1.78	Nationwide Affinity	8	3	0.85
Alpha Property & Casualty	6	2	1.39	Nationwide Mutual	10	2	0.84
Arizona Automobile	41	8	1.37	IDS Property Casualty	14	3	0.79
Twin City Fire	44	2	1.18	Liberty Mutual Fire	10	3	0.78
Permanent General	7	2	1.16	Viking Insurance	4	1	0.75

– Complaint Ratios for Colorado’s 10 Largest Car Insurers

Here’s how the largest companies by market share compare for complaint ratios.

– Colorado Car Insurance Rates by Company

Below is a list of the most expensive and the cheapest car insurance companies in Colorado by their average rates.

Cheapest Companies	Rate	Most Expensive Companies	Rate
USAA	$782.90	American Hallmark	$4,408.66
USAA Casualty	$807.74	LM Insurance Corporation	$3,761.54
Hartford Casualty	$819.44	LM General	$3,397.64
Progressive Direct	$845.84	Metropolitan Casualty	$2,751.98
National General Assurance	$863.50	Metropolitan Property and Casualty	$2,733.37
Owners	$866.89	Pharmacists Mutual	$2,667.51
Horace Mann	$898.52	Electric	$2,276.12
Nationwide Private Client	$904.90	Safeway	$2,133.85
The Cincinnati	$909.15	Employers Mut Cas Co	$2,107.18
Nationwide Mutual	$923.95	Safeco Insurance Company of America	$1,979.75
IDS Property Casualty	$925.55	National Farmers Union Prop & Cas	$1,851.67
Garrison Property and Casulty	$950.27	Arizona Auto	$1,837.51
CSAA General	$956.30	360	$1,799.90
Auto-Owners	$960.90	Loya	$1,791.13
Nationwide Agribusiness	$993.66	Country Casualty	$1,727.11
Farmers Insurance Exchange	$1,032.77	Amica Mutual	$1,658.20
United Fire & Casualty	$1,034.94	American National General	$1,638.35
Geico Casualty	$1,058.89	Encompass Indemnity	$1,613.30
Colorado Farm Bureau Mutual	$1,069.23	Mendota	$1,600.02
Grange Insurance Association	$1,080.59	Allstate Fire and Casualty	$1,548.48

– Largest Car Insurance Companies in Colorado

There are hundreds of licensed insurers to choose from in Colorado, 858 to be exact.

Number of Licensed Insurers in Colorado
Domestic	Foreign	Total Number of Licensed Insurers
10	848	858

Comparing quotes will help you know where to get started. Once you find the company that offers the best rates to you, do some more research into their financial rating, customer satisfaction rating, and complaint ratios. Then, you can confidently choose your insurer.

Don’t stop now that you know how to choose an insurance company! Make sure your rates stay as low as possible by being a good driver. We’ll show you the laws you need to know to keep your driving record clean.

Colorado Laws

It would take a long time to memorize every law in Colorado. It’s important to follow the laws, but it can be confusing. We’ll help clear the confusion by listing some of the driving laws most important to know.

– Car Insurance Laws

Insurance companies in Colorado don’t have free reign to set rates however they want. Although they have leeway, they are governed.

– Car Insurance Rate-Setting Regulations

While rates are regulated by “open competition,” if the insurance commissioner decides the rates are excessive or could be harmful to the company’s solvency, the commissioner will regulate the rates.

– High-Risk Insurance

If your license has been revoked or suspended, you may need to file an SR-22 to have your licenses reinstated. The SR-22 form is available from your insurance company but it is not an insurance policy.

The form is just assurance that you will have car insurance coverage. If your policy is canceled, the form ensures the insurer will notify the DMV of insurance cancellation, at which point, your license will be suspended.

You can change insurance companies while you’re required to file an SR-22, but you must get a new SR-22 with the new company before the old one goes out of effect.

Your license may be suspended for any of the following:

• A DUI conviction
• Driving without insurance
• Repeat traffic offenses

– Windshield Coverage

Some insurance companies may offer windshield replacement with comprehensive coverage, but there are no laws requiring insurers to cover windows.

– Automobile Insurance Fraud in Colorado

The insurance industry estimates that fraud accounts for 10 percent of its operating costs. Why does that matter? If 10 percent of an insurance company’s income goes to fraudulent activities, that essentially means 10 percent of your premiums are being thrown away.

If companies didn’t have to throw that money out, they could reduce your rates.

There are two classifications of fraud: hard and soft.

• Hard Fraud – A purposefully fabricated claim or accident
• Soft Fraud – A misrepresentation of information to the insurance company

Soft fraud is more common than hard fraud. Twenty to 40 percent of consumers admitted to lying to their insurer about one of the following:

• Number of annual miles driven
• Number of drivers in the household
• How the vehicle would be used

Committing insurance fraud is a crime, even if you’re “just” telling a white lie to get a lower rate. If you suspect insurance fraud, you can fill out and turn in this form.

Misrepresentation to an insurance company is considered a misdemeanor and falsifying claims is a class 5 felony.

Colorado has employed an Insurance Fraud Unit to investigate fraudulent activity throughout the state. According to the Attorney General’s Office,

The Unit also works closely with other agencies including the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Colorado Division of Insurance, FBI, and local police departments.

They are working to eliminate insurance fraud in the state.

– Statute of Limitations

The length of time you have to make a claim cannot exceed the state’s statute of limitations. 

Colorado Statute of Limitations
Property Damage	Bodily Injury
3 years	3 years

The clock starts ticking on the day of the accident. Any lawsuit or claim about that accident will be dismissed if it’s made more than three years after that date.

In the case of an accident-related fatality, the statute of limitations is two years from the day of the death.

– Vehicle Licensing Laws

These are important laws to get familiar with. Your car has to be registered and insured to go on the road. If not, you’ll pay.

– Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

Colorado has a Motorist Insurance Information Database (MIIDB) program to which the police and DMV have access. Registration information is updated in the MIIDB daily and insurance information is updated weekly or more.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance
Penalty	First Offense	Second Offense
Fine	$500 minimum	$1,000 minimum
Points	Four	Four
License Suspension	Until you show proof of insurance to the DMV	Four months
Community Service	Possible up to 40 hours	Possible up to 40 hours

– Proof of Insurance

The following forms of proof of insurance are accepted in Colorado

• Electronic – picture of current insurance card or pdf file of coverage on a phone, tablet, or another electronic device
• Insurance Card
• Declaration Page
• Letter/Binder – from the insurance company on their letterhead

– Affidavit of Non-Use

According to the Colorado DMV, “Colorado residents who wish to register vehicles that will not be operated for a period of time or are temporarily residing out of state with valid out of state insurance, may complete the Affidavit of Non-Use and submit it to their county motor vehicle office.”

– Teen Driver Laws

Since adopting Graduated Driver Licensing laws in 2002, teen motor vehicle fatalities have dropped 67 percent! Here are the restrictions and requirements parents and teens need to know.

Graduated Licensing System for Teens
Restrictions	Learner's Permit	Restricted License	Unrestricted License
Age	15 - if enrolled, attending, and participating in driver's ed 15 1/2 - if completed a four-hour driver-awareness course 16 - if none of above	If under 18, one year after obtaining learner's permit	17 - if held restricted license 12 months 18 - otherwise
Passengers	Must be supervised by a licensed parent/guardian or their licensed adult appointee	First six months - no passengers under 21 Second six months - limit of one passenger under 21 (exceptions: siblings, family emergencies)	No restrictions
Hours	No restrictions	First year - no driving between midnight and 5 a.m. (exceptions: presence of a parent/guardian, driving to and from school activities or work, family emergency, being an emancipated teen)	No restrictions
Cell phone use	Forbidden	Forbidden	Forbidden if under 18
Pre-requisites	If under 18, parent or guardian must sign an affidavit of liability	Completion of 50 hours supervised driving, 10 of which at night	If under 18, holding a restricted license for one year

– Older Driver License Renewal

Older drivers must get their licenses renewed every five years, which is the same requirement for the general population. The only difference is how they can renew. The exceptions to getting a license renewed in person are as follows:

• General population – limited to two consecutive renewals online before having to go in person or every other renewal by mail
• Over 66 years old – every other renewal may be by mail

– New Resident Licensing

If you’ve recently moved to Colorado, you may be curious about when you’re required to get a Colorado license. The Colorado DMV website says you need a Colorado license within 30 days of residency. The residency requirements are as follows:

• Own or operate a business in Colorado OR
• Are gainfully employed in Colorado OR
• Reside in Colorado for 90 consecutive days

Your valid driver license from your previous state of residence should be enough for you to not have to take a driving or written exam. When you go to the DMV to get a Colorado license, be prepared with the following documentation:

• A valid driver license from the previous state of residence
• Proof of your social security number
• Two proofs of current Colorado address
• Proof of lawful presence
• Money for fees

– License Renewal

Driver licenses must be renewed every five years. You should not wait until your license expires.

Renewals may be completed online, in person, or by mail. There are restrictions on renewing online or by mail:

• May renew by mail only every other renewal
• Limited to two times in a row renewing online
• Those 66 years and older are limited to renewing by mail every other renewal at most

– Rules of the Road

Colorado is a fault state, so the person at fault in an accident is responsible to pay for damages done to the other party. A fault state is also known as a tort state.

– Keep Right and Move Over Laws

When driving, you must keep right when traveling slower than the average speed of traffic around you. On roads with a speed limit over 65 mph, the left lane is reserved for passing.

When stationary vehicles with emergency lights are presents, drivers must vacate the lane nearest those vehicles if safe to do so, or they must slow down.

– Speed Limits

Speed Limits
Type of Roadway	Speed Limit
Rural Interstates	75 mph
Urban Interstates	65 mph
Other Limited Access Roads	65 mph
Other Roads	65 mph

– Seatbelt Laws

Colorado requires drivers and front seat passengers 16 years old and older to wear a seatbelt. A violation is a secondary offense. You can’t be pulled over for no seatbelt use alone. But you can be pulled over for another offense and ticketed for failure to wear a seatbelt. The minimum fine is $65.

For unbelted passengers under 16 years old, the offense is primary and you may be pulled over for that reason alone.

Riding in the cargo section of a pick-up truck is prohibited unless the cargo area is fully or partially enclosed on all four sides.

– Car Seat Laws

Colorado Car Seat Requirements
Type of Car Seat Required	Age	Weight
Rear-Facing Child Safety Seat	Under one year old	Under 40 pounds if under one year old Under 20 pounds if over one year old
Forward Facing or Rear Facing Child Safety Seat	One to four years old	20 - 40 pounds
Forward Facing Safety Seat, Booster Seat, or With Safety Belt-Positioning Device	Four to eight years old	Over 40 pounds
Seat Belt or Child Restraint System	Over eight years old	No weight restrictions when over eight years old

Child safety seat laws are primary and you can be pulled over for violating them. The penalty is a $65 fine and a six dollar surcharge.

– Ridesharing

The following insurance companies offer coverage for ridesharing services:

• Farmers
• USAA
• Geico
• Allstate
• SafeCo
• State Farm
• MetLife
• American Family

The level of coverage available for ride-sharing varies. Some of these companies won’t provide coverage while a customer is in the car, others will with a surcharge, but none of these companies will drop you for offering ride-sharing services.

Colorado was the first to pass a regulatory bill for ridesharing companies in 2014. The bill requires ride-sharing companies to provide their drivers with insurance from app on to app off. Experts say this bill protects other consumers from rising insurance costs to subsidize ride-sharing insurance costs.

– Automation on the Road

Red Light Cameras

Colorado Red Light Cameras
Statewide or localized?	Statewide (requires local ordinance)
Violations?	Red light
Who receives citation?	Vehicle owner
Who is liable?	Driver
What image is captured?	Tag and driver
Penalty?	$75, no points

Red light cameras are used in Colorado. The fine for a violation is $75 and there are no points added to your record. If you are stopped in person for a red light offense, the fine is $110 and four points are added to your license.

Speed Enforcement Cameras

Colorado Automated Speed Enforcement
Statewide or localized?	restricted to construction and school zones, residential areas, or adjacent to a municipal park; requires local ordinance and officer must be present
Violations?	Speed
Citations issued to whom?	Owner
Who is liable?	Driver
What image is captured?	Tag and Driver
Penalty?	$40 maximum fine ($80 in school zones), no points, warning only for first violation within 10 mph of speed limit

Speed enforcement cameras are also used in Colorado. If you are stopped the traditional way, the fine is $151 and four points are added to your license.

– Puffing Laws

When it’s cold outside and your vehicle has frost on the windshield, you may be tempted to start it and let it warm up while you go back inside. That’s called “puffing” and in Colorado puffing is illegal. The reasoning behind this law is to prevent vehicle theft.

The only exception is that you can use remote start if you have it because then your vehicle is locked and the keys aren’t in the ignition.

– Safety Laws

Without a standard, each person would decide for himself or herself how to drive best. Sometimes they’d make good decisions, and sometimes not.

– DUI Laws

The first three DUI offenses are classified as misdemeanors. The fourth and following offenses are class 4 felonies. There is no official lookback period, so any DUI, no matter how far in the past can be considered in your sentence.

Colorado has two levels of intoxicated driving offenses:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI) – Blood alcohol content 0.08 percent or higher
• Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) – Blood alcohol content 0.05 percent to 0.07 percent

Penalties for a DUI
Penalty Type	First Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI)	First Driving Under the Influence (DUI)	Second DUI or DWAI	Third and Subsequent DUIs and DWAIs
Revoked License	Eight points on license	Nine months	One year	Two years
Imprisonment	Two days to 180 days	Five days to one year	10 days to one year	60 days to one year
Fine	$200-$500	$600-$1000	$600-$1500	$600-$1500
Community Service	24 to 48 hours	24 to 48 hours	48 to 120 hours	48 to 120 hours

A law went into effect recently eliminating a loophole and mandating all persons with a felony DUI conviction to spend time behind bars.

– Drug-Impaired Driving Laws

Driving under the influence of drugs is illegal and is subject to the same penalties as driving under the influence of alcohol.

– Distracted Driving Laws

Cellphone and Texting Restrictions
Hand-held ban	No
Young drivers all cellphone ban	Under 18 years old
Texting ban	All drivers
Enforcement	Primary

The penalties are as follows:

Penalties for Illegal Handheld Use While Driving
Class of Driver	First Offense	Second and Subsequent Offenses
Minor Drivers (all cellphone use)	Class A traffic infraction One point on license $50 fine	One point on license $100 fine
Adult Drivers (text messaging)	Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense Four points on license $300 fine	Bodily injury or proximate cause of death to another, class 1 misdemeanor Four points on license $1000 fine and/or up to one year imprisonment

– Points

Points System for Minors Under 18
Time-frame	Points requiring suspension
Within 12 months	6
At any point before turning 18	7

Points System for Minors 18 to 21
Time-frame	Points requiring suspension
Within 12 months	9
Within 24 months	12
At any point between ages 18 and 21	14

Points System for Adults 21 and older
Time-frame	Points requiring suspension
Within 12 months	12
Within 24 months	18

Colorado Can’t-Miss Facts

There are a lot of interesting facts about Colorado. We’re going to focus on some of the facts related to driving that are interesting and helpful to know.

You don’t want to miss what’s next: The hottest vehicles for thieves. Is your car on the list?

– Vehicle Theft in Colorado

Even in the safest cities and states, you need to cautious of potential vehicle thefts.

– Top Make and Model for Theft

– Vehicle Theft by City

Now, we’ll look at the number of thefts in each of these cities.

Cities with the Worst Vehicle Theft
City	Number of Thefts
Denver	3,487
Colorado Springs	1,928
Aurora	1,000
Lakewood	623
Pueblo	528
Thornton	352
Westminster	322
Arvada	197
Greeley	186
Commerce City	183

Vehicle thefts are rising. Check out the six-year trend below.

– Risky and Harmful Behavior

For your information, we’ve listed the statistics of driving-related fatalities below.

– Fatality Rates by County

Counties with the Most Traffic Fatalities
County Name	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
El Paso County	63	53	48	48	77
Weld County	35	55	55	55	66
Adams County	33	32	44	60	64
Denver County	40	42	52	54	49
Arapahoe County	21	30	37	46	45
Jefferson County	43	42	55	48	41
Larimer County	20	24	33	44	36
Pueblo County	14	19	12	20	34
Boulder County	12	16	19	24	31
Garfield County	7	8	8	10	21

– Fatality Rates Rural Vs. Urban

Type of Roadway	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Rural	296	252	247	227	233	244	228	260	266	277
Urban	252	213	203	220	241	238	260	285	342	369

– Fatalities by Person Type

Person Type	Vehicles Type	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Occupants	Passenger Car	141	176	163	187	199
–	Light Truck - Pickup	77	56	77	66	78
–	Light Truck - Utility	85	70	85	85	104
–	Light Truck - Van	14	6	21	24	27
–	Light Truck - Other	0	0	1	0	2
–	Large Truck	11	10	13	18	26
–	Bus	0	0	0	1	1
–	Total Occupants	331	319	364	383	437
Motorcyclists	Motorcycle	87	94	106	125	103
Nonoccupants	Pedestrian	50	63	59	79	92
–	Bicyclist and Other Cyclist	12	10	13	16	16
–	Other/Unknown Nonoccupants	2	2	5	5	0
–	Total Nonoccupants	64	75	77	100	108
Occupants, Motorcyclists, and Nonoccupants	Total Traffic-Related Fatalities	482	488	547	608	648

– Fatalities by Crash Type

Colorado Fatalities by Crash Type
Crash Type	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Total Fatalities (All Crashes)*	482	488	547	608	648
- (1) Single Vehicle	284	273	305	344	335
- (2) Involving a Large Truck	56	63	64	86	87
- (3) Involving Speeding	151	168	217	211	230
- (4) Involving a Rollover	197	166	195	212	228
- (5) Involving a Roadway Departure	287	285	304	295	330
- (6) Involving an Intersection (or Intersection Related)	118	127	153	200	190

– Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

Colorado Fatalities Involving Speeding by County
County Name	2015	2016	2017	Three-Year Total
El Paso County	15	22	29	66
Denver County	28	22	15	65
Jefferson County	22	20	18	60
Weld County	25	11	20	56
Adams County	17	19	20	56
Arapahoe County	17	19	17	53
Larimer County	9	15	16	40
Pueblo County	4	4	16	24
Garfield County	5	6	10	21
Douglas County	4	8	8	20

– Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver by County

Colorado Traffic Fatalities Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC 0.08 percent or greater)
County Name	2015	2016	2017	Three-Year Total
El Paso County	17	20	24	61
Denver County	15	18	20	53
Weld County	19	13	13	45
Adams County	11	15	18	44
Jefferson County	19	9	13	41
Arapahoe County	12	13	13	38
Larimer County	8	12	11	31
Pueblo County	3	3	10	16
Garfield County	3	7	5	15
Boulder County	5	3	4	12
Douglas County	4	5	3	12

– Teen Drinking and Driving

Unfortunately, Colorado ranks number seven nationally for under 18 drunk driving arrests.

– DUI Arrests Under 18

DUI Statistics for Under 18
Number of Arrests	Arrests per One Million People	Rank Nationally
217	172.03	7

– Under 21 Drinking and Driving Fatalities

Per every 100,000 people, Colorado experienced 1.2 alcohol-related fatalities for residents under 21 years old. Colorado ranks at exactly the U.S. average for deaths per capita in that age group.

– EMS Response Time

Location of Incident	Time of Crash to EMS Notification	Notification to Arrival	Arrival at Scene to Hospital Arrival	Time of Crash to Time of Hospital Arrival
Rural	7.33	12.01	36.68	48.96
Urban	1.33	5.09	22.23	28.16

– Transportation

How does the commute look for Colorado residents? How many own a car? How do they get to work? We’ll answer those questions next.

– Car Ownership

– Commute Time

– Commuter Transportation

– Top Cities for Traffic Congestion

City	Hours Spent in Traffic	Peak (Time in Traffic)	Daytime (Time in Traffic)	Overall (Time in Traffic)
Denver	36	13%	7%	8%
Boulder	24	13%	10%	10%
Greeley	12	7%	7%	6%
Colorado Springs	15	8%	6%	7%
Pueblo	7	5%	4%	4%

Now, you have a great foundation for understanding what you need for insurance, what you can expect your rates to be, and how you can stay safe and obey the traffic laws.

Get started on the path to saving by entering your zip code below and comparing car insurance quotes side-by-side for free!