Press Room

President Shaffer Passes Careless Driving Bill

Friday, May 7 2010

Bill will increase punishments for careless driving resulting in death

DENVER-Senate President Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) is sponsoring legislation (SB 204) to ensure harsher punishments for careless drivers in Colorado. This bill increases the penalty for careless driving resulting in death from 4 points to 12 points. With some exceptions, a driver's license is suspended for up to 12 months if 12 points or more are accumulated within a 12-month period. The Senate unanimously passed SB 204 on final reading.

President Shaffer decided to introduce this bill after a good friend, Bruce Patterson, was killed when he was rear ended by a careless driver and his car was pushed into the westbound lane where he was hit by a truck.  The woman responsible for Mr. Patterson’s death and the death of the other driver was sentenced to 6 months in jail through work release.  Patterson was a music teacher at the University of Northern Colorado.

“It really hit home when Bruce died,” said President Shaffer. “I don’t want anyone to experience what Bruce’s family did after he was killed by a careless driver. By enforcing harsher punishments for careless drivers in Colorado, my hope is that our roads become safer for the future generations of our children.”

Increasing the penalty for careless driving resulting in death will result in more drivers' licenses being suspended and more hearings in both county courts and with the Department of Revenue. Since the number of cases involving careless driving resulting in death is expected to be fairly small, the caseload impact is low enough to be addressed within existing appropriations. Reinstatement of suspended licenses may result in new revenue for the reinstatement of drivers' licenses in the fiscal year 2011-12.