How to drive in snow and ice within the mountains: A Colorado winter survival information

Winters in Colorado deliver loads of adventures, however snow and ice could make the trek harmful — particularly on mountain roads.

“Whether you’re a native, a new resident or a tourist, driving in Colorado winter weather can be dangerous if you’re not prepared,” Colorado Department of Transportation officers stated in an announcement. “The unexpected can happen when snow and ice are on the road — take extra precautions to prepare you and your vehicle for winter road conditions.”

Speed is among the most important causes of winter crashes

Between Sept. 2024 and May 2025, the Colorado State Patrol responded to twenty,913 crashes on Colorado roads, in line with knowledge offered by the company. That contains 198 deadly crashes and 5,806 damage crashes.

The interval between September and May is when the state’s chain legal guidelines and passenger automobile traction legal guidelines take impact, and it’s frequent to see snow on Colorado’s mountains and higher-elevation roads.

Crashes throughout that point have been largely brought on by dashing, lane violations, animals, distracted driving and following too intently, in line with the company.

“Confidence in the snow doesn’t mean driving recklessly. If you are truly an experienced winter driver, you know to adjust your speed to the conditions at hand,” Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, stated in an announcement. “Lower your speed, let people around you go the pace they choose to remain in control of their vehicle and give everyone some extra space.”

Speeding throughout winter climate will increase Colorado drivers’ danger of being concerned in an damage or deadly crash by roughly 150%, in line with the state patrol.

Headed to the mountains for winter enjoyable? Here’s what it’s essential know.

“There are many precautions a driver can take before traveling through the mountains; however, following Colorado law regarding tire and chain requirements during the wintertime is a must, as well as doing research on road conditions before travel,” Colorado State Patrol spokesperson Hunter Mathews stated.

The state’s traction legal guidelines take impact yearly on Sept. 1 and stay lively till May 31, mandating that every one autos be outfitted with satisfactory tires and gear when touring within the state through the winter.

“Whether a tractor-trailer or a four-door sedan, snow and ice conditions impact your drive,” Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, said. “If carrying chains or checking your tire tread seems like a hassle, imagine the inconvenience of sitting in traffic due to a crash or being rerouted miles out of your way due to highway closures.”

Colorado’s chain legislation, which requires industrial autos to hold chains or various traction gadgets, applies to autos with a mixed weight of greater than 16,000 kilos or transporting at the least 16 individuals on public highways, state patrol officers stated. The variety of wheels that must be chained will depend on the kind of automobile.

The penalty for non-compliance with winter driving restrictions begins with as much as a $500 high quality, in line with the state patrol. If the non-compliant automobile will get caught and blocks visitors, the driving force faces a $1,000 penalty.

Smaller passenger autos touring on Interstate 70 between Morrison and Dotsero from September by means of May should even have one of many following:

• Tire chains for 2 or extra drive tires,
• An accepted alternate traction system for 2 or extra drive tires,
• Or tires with a tread depth of at the least 3/16-inch which can be rated “all weather” or “mud and snow.”

If climate situations are excessive, state officers could implement the passenger automobile chain legislation, which requires all vehicles to have chains or various traction gadgets on two or extra tires, no matter drive kind.

When driving within the mountains, individuals ought to cut back their pace, enhance their following distance and keep away from utilizing cruise management, in line with AAA.

“On wet roads, cruise control set at too fast a speed could cause the vehicle to hydroplane when it encounters standing water,” AAA officers stated. “On very low-traction surfaces such as ice and snow, cruise control operation can result in a skid or spin.”

Stock and put together your automotive earlier than leaving

During winter, the Colorado Department of Transportation recommends drivers preserve important objects of their vehicles always in case of an emergency. That features a sturdy scraper or snow brush, a flashlight with further batteries, blankets or a sleeping bag, water jugs, a primary assist package and important drugs, tire chains, a tow strap, jumper cables, reflectors and a battery radio.

It’s additionally good to have an additional set of garments, together with a coat, hat, gloves and boots; hand heaters; nonperishable snacks; and extra, in line with state transportation officers.

Drivers ought to preserve all automotive home windows clear through the use of a window scraper to take away ice and turning on the windshield wipers and defrosters, even when touring quick distances, in line with the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles. Fogging or condensation on the within of the windshield can shortly be eliminated by opening a window.

Leaving chunks of snow and ice on automotive home windows and roofs may cause visibility points, state officers stated.

Under Colorado legislation, a automobile can solely be operated if the driving force’s imaginative and prescient by means of any required glass gear is regular and unobstructed.

Leaving snow on the automotive roof can enable it to slip onto the windshield through the drive or ship it flying again at different autos on the street.

Driving within the snow