Law enforcement is stepping up efforts this weekend as part of a statewide crackdown on distracted driving.
Colorado State Troopers will be out in extra force as part of distracted driving month. While distracted driving is mostly considered cell phone use, it can include eating, putting on make up, or shaving, among other things.
"Texting brings you a $100 fine in Colorado, but there's a lot of other distractions that can also make your driving unsafe," says Sam Cole with the Colorado Department of Transportation. The state patrol is partnering with CDOT on the enforcement.
"It's a huge problem," says Cole. "We see about 15,000 crashes each year related to distracted driving. In 2015 alone we saw 69 fatalities."
Cole says there is an ad contest coming later this month and CDOT plans to continue efforts even after distracted driving awareness month ends. They're expecting to have a new campaign in July.
