New Colorado laws aim to boost safety after youth deaths prompt concussion, school zone, DUI reforms
Several new Colorado laws that were written to address safety concerns following the deaths of three young people will go into effect on Aug. 12.
Alyssa's Youth Concussion and Mental Health Protection Act was written to help student athletes suffering from complications due to concussions. The law is named for 13-year-old Alyssa Peterson, who died by suicide after suffering a series of concussions.
It expands the training youth coaches must receive on recognizing concussions to include more information on the mental health of young athletes. If an athlete suffers a concussion, the law requires coaches to explain to their parents or guardians what changes in their mental health might happen as a result, including mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or suicidal ideation.
Another law to take effect on August 12 is the Liam Stewart School Zone Act, which is designed to strengthen road safety around schools. The law was written after a fatal crash in 2023 claimed the life of Liam Stewart, who was struck by a car while biking to his middle school in Littleton.
The law defines school zones as all roadways within at least 1,000 feet of a school boundary and requires signs indicating that 1,000-foot boundary zone and increased fines. It says schools with existing zones between 200 and 1,000 feet can keep their current boundaries but must follow the legal process in order to modify them.
To reduce the size of a school zone, officials must hold a public hearing to make sure the community has the opportunity to provide feedback. Those who want to expand their school zone boundaries can raise funds for school zone signage through bonds.
Governments can also designate streets next to a school as "school streets" where vehicles must yield to non-vehicle road users and the maximum speed limit will be set to 10 miles per hour. State or local governments can also use automated vehicle identification systems to track traffic violations in a school zone.
The third law, known as Magnus' Law, was written in response to the death of 17-year-old Magnus White, who was hit and killed by a driver suspected to be under the influence in 2023. Officers at the scene didn't ask the driver to take a breath test, but the driver later admitted she had little sleep and had been drinking the morning before the crash.
The new law will require law enforcement to offer a voluntary alcohol breathalyzer test to drivers who are involved in vehicle crashes that result in death or injury. Drivers do have the right to refuse the test, but lawmakers believe it will help gather as much crucial information as possible at the scene of a crash.
