DRIVERS in a major US state are facing hefty fines under a new program – even if they’re not behind the wheel of their car.
The law tweak will see motorists risk $75 civil penalties for travelling 10 mph or more over the speed limit, regardless of who is driving.
Drivers are facing hefty fines under a new program even if they’re not behind the wheel of their car[/caption]
This system will punish the registered owner of a vehicle that’s caught breaking the speed limit by 10 mph or more[/caption]
According to CPR, Colorado’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) is increasing its efforts to stamp out speeding-related crashes and fatalities by using an automated speed enforcement program called the Automated Vehicle Identification System (AVIS).
This new program will punish the registered owner of a vehicle that’s caught breaking the speed limit by 10 mph or more – making them responsible for the fine that they must either pay or dispute if the vehicle was stolen or recently sold.
CDOT’s new AVIS system is designed to monitor and penalize speeding drivers, using camera tech to calculate the average speed of vehicles between two points and then issue a $75 penalty.
The system, currently active on Highway 119 in Boulder County, has seen warnings issued to drivers from late July, with actual fines starting soon.
Once these are rolled out, motorists slapped with fines can visit ColoradoSpeedSafety.com to access dispute procedures and further information.
Going forward, CDOT plans to extend AVIS to school zones and other high-risk areas such as construction zones by spring 2026.
Clear signage indicating camera enforcement will be set up and locations will have a 30-day warning period beforehand.
These measures are coming in a bid to improve safety for drivers, road workers, law enforcement, pedestrians and cyclists, while revenue from penalties will cover operational costs.
Any excess funds will be allocated to projects benefiting vulnerable road users.
CDOT is also launching a campaign to clear up any myths around speeding, highlighting how it risks the safety of all road users compared to the minimal time saved by speeding.
Shoshana Lew, CDOT’s Executive Director, said: “Speeding drivers put everyone on Colorado roads at risk, especially vulnerable road users like pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.
“A common misconception is that speeding mainly occurs on highways, but the truth is, it happens on all roads.
“So, whether you’re on a highway, city street or rural mountain road, slow down and always watch for pedestrians. You could save a life.”
Indeed, speeding was a factor in 237 fatalities in Colorado in 2024, while over 1,200 deaths in speeding-related crashes were recorded over the past five years.
Across the state of Colorado, Adams, El Paso and Denver counties had the most speeding-related traffic deaths in 2024.
The driver thought she was doing the right thing to avoid breaking the law – but instead ended up with a ticket.
Heather Elliott exited the toll lane after seeing a red “X” overhead, the signal drivers rely on to know a lane is shut.
“I thought ‘no problem,’ all I would have to do is tell them that there was an accident and I made the right choice to get over,” Elliott said.
But her initial appeal was rejected without explanation.
Not willing to back down, she requested a formal hearing to challenge the citation.
It was not until she reached out for further help to fight the fine that the extent of the lane issue was revealed.
How to fight a speeding ticket
According to a legally reviewed post, there are five effective strategies to fighting a speeding ticket if it was wrongfully issued.
- If pulled over and issued a ticket, drivers can argue or dispute a driver’s personal opinion. When issuing a speeding ticket, an officer is required to write their opinion and come to an “objective” conclusion. If the ticket was written based on that judgment, it can be contested. An example would be if you were going 75 mph in a 65 mph zone because others were traveling at the same speed, you could argue that it would be more dangerous to travel at 65 mph.
- You can dispute the officer’s presentation of evidence. If you were ticketed for something like running a stop sign or making an illegal u-turn, you can’t contest that if an officer saw you, but you can call things into court like eyewitnesses, diagrams, or photos.
- Argue that the ticket was issued by a “mistake of fact.” This is tricky, but a “mistake of fact” is a mistake made by a driver about a situation that was beyond their control, or if a driver legitimately did not know they were violating the law. For example, you were driving in two lanes because the lane markers were so worn down that you could not see them.
- You could say circumstances justified your driving. You could say you were speeding to pass a possibly drunk driver, or avoiding an accident by rapidly changing lanes. However, the argument won’t work if there’s proof you continued to speed after passing.
- Similar to the above, it could be argued that speeding was necessary to avoid harm. The key is to argue that if you weren’t speeding, you or someone else could have been harmed.
- Consult a traffic attorney, if all else fails. Many have free consultations to decide whether or not there’s a case.
Source: FindLaw
