Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1402 – Careless driving - penalty.

(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)
1. (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.
2. (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.
3. (c)
  1. (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.
  2. (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.

Source: L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2392, § 1, effective January 1, 1995. L. 2009: (1) amended, (HB 09-1026), ch. 281, p. 1280, § 58, effective October 1. L. 2010: (2) amended, (SB 10-204), ch. 243, p. 1080, § 2, effective May 21. L. 2019: (1) amended, (HB 19-1221), ch. 271, p. 2561, § 12, effective May 23. L. 2025: (2) amended, (SB 25-281), ch. 346, p. 1871, § 1, effective June 2.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former § 42-4-1204 as it existed prior to 1994, and the former § 42-4-1402 was relocated to § 42-4-1602.

(2) Section 3 of chapter 346 (SB 25-281), Session Laws of Colorado 2025, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed on or after June 2, 2025.

Cross references: For provision that the operation of vehicles and the movement of pedestrians pursuant to this section apply upon streets and highways and elsewhere throughout the state, see § 42-4-103 (2)(b); for the penalties for class 1 and class 2 misdemeanor traffic offenses generally, see § 42-4-1701 (3)(a)(II); for further penalties and surcharges, see § 42-4-1701 (4)(a)(I)(N).