Program aims to prevent speed-related fatalities

From Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) - CDOT is launching a new automated speed camera program to prevent speed-related fatalities. The Colorado Speed Enforcement Program will use camera technology in work zones to penalize motorists traveling 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit. The program aims to reduce the number of lives lost and affected due to speeding.

In 2024, 31 people were killed in work zone crashes in Colorado — a nine-year high. Narrow, shifting lanes and high speeds pose a threat to vulnerable roadside workers and travelers in work zones. However, the same social stigmas that apply to driving distracted or impaired don’t always carry over. According to the 2024 Colorado Driver Behavior Survey, 70% of drivers in the state admit to speeding on highways.

The fact is: speeding can be just as dangerous. Speed-related crashes surpassed those caused by impairment and distraction last year, becoming the primary cause of fatalities on Colorado roads. With the clear and present danger presented by excessive speeds, CDOT’s new enforcement measures are necessary to save lives – and according to the Federal Highway Administration, are proven to work.

The program was launched along Colorado Highway 119, between Longmont and Boulder, on July 14. When the program launches on a new corridor, there is a grace period of at least 30 days, during which violations will result in warnings mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. Following the grace period, violators receive civil penalties of $75.

To learn more about the Colorado Speed Enforcement Program, visit codot.gov/programs/speedenforcement.