Many speeding infractions in Colorado carry a penalty of “points” on your license. A good number of speeding tickets are charged as a 6-point speeding offense. These tickets can put many drivers at or close to the limit where they face a suspension of their driver’s license that can last for months. Drivers in Colorado should familiarize themselves with the state’s speeding laws and the potential penalties for a speeding ticket or citation.
If you’ve received a 6-point speeding ticket and have questions about your legal rights and your options for addressing your ticket, contact me, Attorney Christian A. Schwaner for help. I have extensive experience helping people just like you in Colorado minimize the impact speeding tickets can have on your life and ability to work, and together, we’ll do everything possible to ensure that you keep your license and remain on the road. Call me today at (719) 440-6720 for a consultation.
What Are Colorado’s Speeding Laws?
In Colorado, driving between one and 24 miles per hour over the posted speed limit qualifies as a Class A traffic infraction. Driving 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit is considered a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense while driving 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit in a construction zone is charged as a Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense.
Finally, Colorado law also requires drivers to reduce their speed to a “reasonable and prudent level” in hazardous driving conditions, such as heavy rain, snow, or fog. Failure to do so can be cited as a Class A traffic infraction.
What Are the Penalties for Speeding in Colorado (Colorado’s Point System)?
A Class A traffic infraction for speeding carries fines that range from $30 to $200, with additional surcharges of $6 to $32. A Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense carries a fine ranging from $150 to $300, along with possible jail time of 10 to 90 days. A Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense carries a potential fine of $300 to $1,000, along with a possible jail sentence of 10 days up to one year.
Traffic offenses also carry the additional penalty of “points.” The more serious the offense, the more points are imposed. A driver who accumulates a certain number of points within a specific time frame will have their driver’s license suspended. Points for speeding violations in Colorado are based on how fast over the posted speed limit a driver was operating their vehicle and include:
- Speeding between 5 and 9 miles per hour over a reasonable and prudent speed or the posted limit – 1 point
- Speeding between 10 and 19 miles per hour over a reasonable and prudent speed or the posted limit – 4 points
- Speeding between 20 and 39 miles per hour over a reasonable and prudent speed or the posted limit – 6 points
- Speeding 40 miles per hour or more over a reasonable and prudent speed or the posted limit – 12 points
Drivers between 16 and 18 years old can accumulate up to six points in a 12-month period, or up to seven points over the duration of the license, before driving privileges will be suspended. Drivers between 18 and 21 years old can accumulate up to nine points in a 12-month period, 12 points in a 24-month period, or 14 points over the duration of the license.
Once a driver reaches 21 years old, they can accumulate up to 12 points within a 12-month period of 18 points in a 24-month period before driving privileges are suspended.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 6-point speeding ticket in Colorado?
Six points are assigned when a motorist is caught operating their vehicle between 20 and 39 miles per hour over a reasonable and prudent speed or the posted speed limit. If a driver was driving between 20 and 24 mph over a reasonable and prudent speed or the speed limit, they will receive a $200 ticket for a Class A traffic infraction. Driving 25 miles per hour or more over a reasonable and prudent speed or the posted speed limit constitutes a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense and carries a fine of $150 to $300, along with the possibility of jail time.
How do you get a speeding ticket dismissed in Colorado?
When you receive a speeding ticket, you either will be required to appear in court on a date noted on the citation, or you can inform the court that you wish to contest the ticket, and you will be assigned a court hearing date. Before your court hearing, you can request the issuing police officer or the prosecutor dismiss the ticket or citation, but this often does not work.
At the court hearing on your ticket, if the issuing officer fails to appear, the court will often dismiss the ticket. If the officer or a prosecutor does appear for your hearing, you may have factual and legal defense available to you. For example, you can present evidence to support the argument that even if you were driving above the posted speed limit, it was reasonable and prudent for you to do so under the traffic conditions at the time.
You can also try contesting the reliability of the officer’s measurement of your speed, including questioning the calibration of the radar or laser detector used by the officer or the officer’s use of their cruiser’s speedometer. As long as you can raise reasonable doubt that you were driving above the posted speed or a reasonable and prudent speed, you have a chance at receiving a finding of not guilty.
What happens if you get 6 points on your driver’s license in Colorado?
Drivers between the ages of 16 and 18 who receive six points on their license within a 12-month period will have their driver’s license suspended. In all other cases, committing a six-point offense may or may not result in a license suspension, depending on how many other points the driver has on their license and when they were accumulated. In Colorado, the duration of a points license suspension is determined at the discretion of a hearing officer, up to a maximum of one year. Hearing officers start with a presumption for a six-month suspension and then adjust based on aggravating and mitigating factors in your driving record.
Contact a Colorado 6-Point Speeding Ticket Defense Lawyer
If you’ve received a 6-point speeding ticket, you’ll want to have an experienced lawyer on your side to protect your license. Contact me, Christian A. Schwaner to find out how I can help you fight this ticket and move on with your life.