“When you’re stuck on the road there are not a whole lot of places to go. “If you have a bunch of cars that can’t get up the hill it plugs everything up,” said Remillard. But if you cause a pileup or chain reaction that shuts down the highway, your fine will be much heftier.Īside from fines, failing to adhere to traction laws can lead to major traffic delays and serious headaches for motorists. In other words, if you simply get pulled over with inadequate tires you’ll likely receive a fine on the lower end. Trulove said that the potential punishments for failing to follow traction laws range from $130 to more than $650 in fines depending on the severity of the storm, and why you got pulled over. Whether it’s chain laws for trucks, or tourists in rental cars, there’s at least a few in every major storm.” I would say that with a large storm, there’s people ignoring the laws every time. You become part of the problem instead of part of the solution. If you’re not prepared you’re not going to be able to safely travel up here. “People have to understand that this is a high-alpine environment, and the weather can change rapidly. “It’s a dynamic environment,” said Colin Remillard, public information officer with the Colorado State Patrol. “Most times we’re pretty close to closing roads right afterwards if we enact the passenger chain law.”ĭespite signs and warnings on social media during storms, traction laws are often ignored, either because motorists are ignorant of their meaning or because they’re overly confident of their winter driving abilities. “We’ll use it if we’re not able to keep up with the snow, and we’re not able to keep the highway safe with just the traction law,” explained Trulove. Trulove noted that passenger chain laws are rarely instituted, and typically occur before a road is closed entirely.

If weather conditions are especially treacherous, the passenger vehicle chain law may go into effect, requiring every vehicle on the roadway to have chains or an alternative traction device like AutoSocks. The test should be done around different areas of the tire, and if the top of the head is visible at any point, new tires are required. If the top of Washington’s head is covered by the tread, the tires are acceptable. Simply insert a quarter into the tread with George Washington’s head going in first. CDOT recommends using the “quarter test” to determine the size of the treads on your tires.

Colorado passenger vehicle chain law