New data shows Colorado’s hands-free law is curbing distracted driving on the state’s highways and has helped prevent nearly 600 crashes, more than 400 injuries and six fatalities statewide.

A one-year analysis by Cambridge Mobile Telematics found that distracted driving declined 4.7% from 2024 to 2025 and dropped 8.3% in the first month after the law took effect Jan. 1, 2025, according to a release from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The data is gathered from smartphone sensors that capture phone motion, screen activity, harsh braking, acceleration, cornering and other driving behaviors while the vehicle is moving, according to Cambridge Mobile Telematics.

Data is only gathered from drivers who voluntarily consent to monitoring, according to the company.

Colorado’s hands-free law prohibits drivers from holding or using a mobile device while driving. That includes stop lights. Offenders face a $75 fine and two points lost on their license.

Colorado State Patrol data also show encouraging trends. In 2025, troopers investigated 3,778 crashes involving inattentive drivers, a nearly 9% decrease from 2024. Enforcement increased sharply, with the patrol issuing 216% more citations for drivers using an electronic device while driving compared with 2024.

“The increase in citations shows that troopers are actively enforcing Colorado’s hands-free law and holding distracted drivers accountable,” Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, said in the release. “But enforcement alone isn’t the goal — we want drivers to change their behavior.”

According to CMT’s privacy policy, when telematics data remains linked to an individual account — such as in usage-based insurance programs — it can be subject to subpoenas in civil or criminal cases. Law enforcement or attorneys could seek records to examine a driver’s pre-crash behavior, including distraction metrics, under a valid court order.

Similar analyses in other states using CMT data have produced comparable results, according to reports from the Governors Highway Safety Association and CMT.

Michigan reported an 11.2% drop in phone distraction after enacting its hands-free law, estimating the prevention of hundreds of crashes. South Carolina saw a 7.6% first-month decline. Ohio, Alabama, Iowa and Missouri also documented reductions in distracted driving and estimated crash savings in the months following their laws being enacted.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, distracted driving remains the third leading contributing factor in Colorado traffic crashes and is often underreported because officers must rely on admissions from drivers or witnesses.

As Distracted Driving Awareness Month begins April 1, CDOT is reminding motorists that even small distractions can have serious consequences. The department encourages the use of dashboard mounts, Bluetooth systems or built-in vehicle technology such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

“Colorado’s hands-free law is helping change habits, but it only works if drivers commit to it,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said in the release. “When you’re behind the wheel, nothing on your phone is more important than getting everyone home safely.”