Careless driving under C.R.S. § 42-4-1402 means operating a vehicle without due regard for road conditions, traffic, and other circumstances. Without injury, it’s a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, carrying 10 to 90 days in jail and a fine of $150 to $300. If it’s the proximate cause of bodily injury or death to someone else, it becomes a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense, carrying 10 days to 1 year in jail and a fine of $300 to $1,000.
Why this charge escalates so sharply with an injury
The exact same driving conduct can carry a dramatically different penalty range depending purely on whether someone was hurt, which makes the medical outcome, not just the driving itself, one of the biggest factors in how seriously a careless driving charge gets treated.
What to do next
If you’re facing this in Colorado, call Mile High Legal at (720) 853-5779 for a free consultation. The earlier a defense attorney gets involved, the more options are usually still on the table.
