Vehicles that don’t have proper tires can be a serious hazard in Colorado when the snow begins to fly. As such, a number of different laws have been put on the books to make sure drivers are prepared, including Code 15 and Code 16.
Code 15 refers to winter tires directly, saying that drivers must have them in adverse conditions. This is a law that is most often enforced on Interstate 70. The minimum tread length on the tires is an eighth of an inch.
There is one exception to this law, in that vehicles may be permitted if they have four-wheel drive, even without snow tires, though the pairing of the two would be preferred.
Code 16 just takes things a step further and says that vehicles need to have chains on their tires for extra traction. This is only enforced when the roads get really bad, such as when people are driving through an active snowstorm. Many people try to avoid driving in this weather at all, but those who have no choice must be ready.
Cars that slide on slick roads cause most of the delays in Colorado during the winter, and these codes are a response to it, even though they are not full-time laws. If other vehicles are obstructed by drivers without proper tires, the fines could be from $130 to $650.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by another driver who did not have a car that was properly outfitted for the conditions? If so, you need to know how these driving codes work and what legal options you have to compensation.
Source: Fox, “Colorado to enforce little-known law more strictly on I-70,” Drew Engelbart, accessed Jan. 25, 2016
