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Colorado statute

C.R.S. § 42-4-1402 — Careless driving - penalty.

Current through 2025 Regular Session

Part of Part 14: OTHER OFFENSES, Colorado Revised Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of C.R.S. § 42-4-1402

Statutory text current through the 2025 Regular Session. This is an officially sanctioned publication using the official text of the Colorado Revised Statutes; it is not the official statutes of the State of Colorado.

C.R.S. § 42-4-1402Primary source, current through the 2025 Regular Session
(1) A person who drives a motor vehicle, bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, electric scooter, or low-power scooter in a careless and imprudent manner, without due regard for the width, grade, curves, corners, traffic, and use of the streets and highways and all other attendant circumstances, is guilty of careless driving. A person convicted of careless driving of a bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or electric scooter is not subject to section 42-2-127. (2) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (2)(b) and (2)(c) of this section, a person who violates this section commits a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense. (b) If the person's actions are the proximate cause of bodily injury to an individual, the person commits a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. (c) (I) If the person's actions are the proximate cause of serious bodily injury, as defined in section 18-1-901, or death to an individual, the person commits a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. (II) If the person's actions are the proximate cause of serious bodily injury, as defined in section 18-1-901, or death to more than one individual, each individual injured or killed is a separate violation of this section.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is careless driving a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

It depends on the circumstances: careless driving ranges from a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense to a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense in Colorado under C.R.S. § 42-4-1402.

Careless driving — base offense: class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. § 42-4-1402(2)(a)) · Careless driving causing bodily injury: class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. § 42-4-1402(2)(b)) · Careless driving causing serious bodily injury or death: class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. § 42-4-1402(2)(c)(I))

Which Colorado statute covers careless driving?

Careless driving is governed by C.R.S. § 42-4-1402 (Careless driving - penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.