Careless driving is a four point traffic offense. A person is alleged to have committed careless driving when they drive in a “careless and imprudent manner, without due regard for all attendant circumstances”.

Of course, this language is vague, and because of that, all kinds of driving behavior may be viewed as “careless driving” by law enforcement.

This offense is typically a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, however, it becomes a more serious class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense if the driverʼs actions were the proximate cause of bodily injury or death to another person.

If the injury is considered to be serious bodily injury, the minimum mandatory fine is 500, whereas if the driver is the proximate cause of death to another person, the minimum mandatory fine is 1000.

If a driver is convicted of careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury or death, his license will immediately be revoked. If the driving results only in serious bodily injury, the revocation will be for at least six months, whereas if the driving results in death, the revocation will be for at least a year.

In cases involving serious injury or death, a jail sentence may be on the table.  Of course, there are a number of things an experienced criminal defense attorney can do to minimize the possibility of your serving jail time in a case of this nature.

You can even be charged with careless driving if you are driving a bicycle or motorized bicycle, such as a scooter.

Careless driving also constitutes a habitual traffic offender strike.

If you have been charged with careless driving, you may want to consult with a Colorado defense lawyer to assess your next steps.  However, if you have been charged with careless driving involving injury or even serious bodily injury or death, retaining an attorney will be advisable.