Traffic Tickets

How much you pay for a ticket in Colorado depends on where the ticket was issued. Although the state, through the Model Traffic Code for Colorado Municipalities, has set some basic monetary ranges (wide ranges) for accessing traffic fees, it is essentially left to the counties and municipalities to determine their own penalties. It is one way towns and counties generate revenue, and besides, not all counties or towns necessarily even apply the code.

Considering the general rule around the state is that you pay more in the mountain resort towns than in the non-resort towns and cities, you will probably face higher fines in places like Steamboat, Vail, Crested Butte, or Aspen.

Points

When it comes to assessing how many points an offense will cost you, there is no ambiguity. The state has a standard point system that assigns numerical values to offenses (see DMV Point System) with higher numbers equaling more severity.

Offenses carry points between one and 12. If the total collected in a 12-month span hits or surpasses the digit 12, your license will be automatically suspended for up to one year. Certain offenses like a DUI, evading an officer, hit and run, and speed racing are 12-point violations and warrant instant license suspensions.

More Penalties

In addition to the points accruing on your driving record, you could also see penalties in the form of big increases in your insurance premiums. Sometimes even one ticket is enough to raise the rates, and multiple infractions could even lead to your insurance company dropping you from its coverage.