A new Colorado law passed this week prohibits speed camera tickets for drivers going 5 mph or less over the speed limit.
Set to take effect August 12, the legislation, signed by Governor Jared Polis, also requires municipalities to mail physical warning notices during the first 30 days after a new camera is installed. In addition, the law sets a maximum fine of $120 for drivers going 25 mph or more over the speed limit, and limits how private vendors can profit from enforcement programs.
The changes were partly driven by a six-month 9News Steve On Your Side investigation led by consumer investigator Steve Staeger, which helped lead to the voiding of $2.3 million in traffic tickets in two Weld County towns.
The investigation began after drivers in Kersey reported steep fines, including $340 tickets issued near a stretch of road where the speed limit drops from 65 to 45 mph.
At the time, Kersey officials were working under a state statute that did not clearly spell out how to handle violations 25 mph or more over the limit, leaving enforcement open to interpretation, 9News reported.
The town issued $340 fines for weeks until investigators found its own ordinance actually capped photo radar tickets at $40. After that discovery, officials paused the higher penalties, issued more than $500,000 in refunds and ultimately voided over $1.1 million in tickets.
The investigation also uncovered problems with the 30-day warning period for new cameras. While state law called for a warning phase, it said cities “may” issue warnings, which some towns treated as optional. In practice, that meant some jurisdictions skipped mailed notices and simply delayed ticketing, so drivers were not formally alerted that they were being monitored, according to the outlet.
In Kersey, data showed about 1,200 tickets per day during the first month of enforcement before numbers dropped as drivers became aware of the cameras, 9News reported. In nearby Hudson, a separate camera issued more than 31,000 tickets in a matter of weeks before officials later voided $1.2 million in fines.
Those findings helped drive statewide reforms, including a $120 penalty for drivers going 25 mph or more over the limit, which is three times the fine cap for lower speeds.
It also enforces stricter requirements for mailed warning notices and signage before enforcement begins and new rules requiring vendors to be paid flat hourly or monthly fees rather than being tied to ticket volume.
