Colorado Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do

Under C.R.S. 42-4-1601, Colorado drivers involved in any accident must stop, exchange information, and render aid. Failing to do so is a hit-and-run offense that ranges from a class 2 misdemeanor for property damage to a class 3 felony carrying 4 to 12 years in prison when someone dies.

Hurt in a hit-and-run? If the driver who hit you fled or had no insurance, your own uninsured/underinsured-motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may pay your injury claim. Estimate what it could be worth with our free Colorado Car Accident Settlement Calculator.

Last verified: March 2026. This article reflects current Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42 and Title 18.

Colorado law treats leaving the scene of an accident as a serious offense. Whether the crash involves only property damage or results in death, drivers have a legal duty to stop, exchange information, and render aid. Failing to do so can lead to misdemeanor or felony charges, prison time, steep fines, and the loss of your driver's license.

This guide covers every part of Colorado's hit and run statutes, the penalty tiers for each level of harm, your obligations as a driver, and what victims should do to protect their rights.

Colorado's Hit and Run Statutes

Two primary statutes govern hit and run offenses in Colorado:

• CRS 42-4-1601 applies when an accident results in injury, serious bodily injury, or death.
• CRS 42-4-1602 applies when an accident results only in property damage.

Both statutes require the driver to stop immediately at the scene or as close to it as safely possible. The driver must stay until all legal obligations are met.

Your Legal Obligations Under CRS 42-4-1603

After stopping, Colorado law requires you to:

• Provide your name, address, and vehicle registration number to the other driver or to law enforcement
• Show your driver's license if asked
• Provide your insurance information
• Render reasonable assistance to any injured person, including arranging transportation to a medical facility
• Report to the nearest law enforcement office if no officer is present at the scene

Staying Is Not a Crime

CRS 42-4-1601(1.5) makes an important distinction. If you stop, fulfill all the requirements of CRS 42-4-1601 and 42-4-1603, and then leave the scene to report the accident under CRS 42-4-1606, you have committed no offense. Hit and run only becomes a crime when you flee without meeting your obligations.

Penalties for Hit and Run in Colorado

Colorado organizes hit and run penalties into four tiers based on the severity of harm caused.

Property Damage Only (CRS 42-4-1602)

If you hit an unattended vehicle or other property and cannot locate the owner, you must leave a written notice with your name, address, and a description of what happened in a visible spot on the damaged property. You must also promptly notify law enforcement.

Injury (Non-Serious)

Colorado defines "injury" as physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical or mental condition. Even minor injuries qualify.

Serious Bodily Injury

"Serious bodily injury" means an injury involving a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of any body part or organ. Broken bones, third-degree burns, and injuries requiring surgery generally qualify.

Death

License Consequences

A hit and run conviction carries serious consequences for your driving privileges:

• 12 points are added to your driving record for any hit and run conviction.
• Accumulating 12 or more points in a 12-month period triggers an automatic license suspension by the Colorado DMV.
• For any conviction under CRS 42-4-1601 (injury, serious bodily injury, or death), including the class 1 misdemeanor injury tier, the DMV must revoke your license. A property-damage-only conviction under CRS 42-4-1602 does not carry this mandatory revocation.
• Reinstatement after revocation requires meeting all DMV conditions, which may include an SR-22 insurance filing and completion of a defensive driving course.

Accident Reporting Requirements

Under CRS 42-4-1606(1), the driver of a vehicle in a crash that causes injury, serious bodily injury, death, or any property damage must, after meeting the duties in CRS 42-4-1602 and 42-4-1603(1), give immediate notice of the crash location to the nearest police authority. If the police direct you to, you must return to the scene and stay until they finish their investigation.

• Law enforcement officers who are notified of or investigate a crash must submit a report to the Department of Revenue within five days (CRS 42-4-1606(4)(a)(I)).
• An officer is not required to investigate or file a report for a motor vehicle crash with no injury or death and property damage to any one person that does not exceed $1,000, unless a participant requests it or a participant cannot show proof of insurance (CRS 42-4-1606(4)(b)(I)).
• The department may require a driver to file supplemental reports if the original report is insufficient (CRS 42-4-1606(3)).
• Violating CRS 42-4-1606 is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense (CRS 42-4-1606(6)).

DUI Combined with Hit and Run

Driving under the influence combined with leaving the scene creates compounding charges. Prosecutors frequently stack hit and run charges with vehicular assault or vehicular homicide.

Vehicular Assault While Intoxicated (CRS 18-3-205)

Vehicular Homicide While Intoxicated (CRS 18-3-106)

When vehicular homicide under CRS 18-3-106 (not only the DUI form) and leaving the scene of a fatal accident under CRS 42-4-1601(2)(c) are charged together from the same criminal episode in the same charging document, the criminal statute of limitations extends from 5 years to 10 years (CRS 16-5-401(1)(a.5)).

Statutes of Limitations

Both criminal and civil time limits apply to hit and run cases in Colorado.

Criminal Statutes of Limitations

Civil Statutes of Limitations

Insurance Implications for Hit and Run Victims

When a hit and run driver flees and cannot be identified, victims can turn to their own insurance for coverage.

Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage

Colorado law (CRS 10-4-609) requires insurance companies to include uninsured motorist coverage in every auto policy unless the policyholder declines it in writing. UM coverage treats a hit and run driver as an uninsured motorist.

UM coverage can pay for:

• Medical bills and rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage (if UM property damage coverage is included)

Key Points About UM Claims

• UM coverage follows the insured person, not the vehicle. You are covered whether you are driving your own car, riding as a passenger, or walking as a pedestrian.
• You must file a police report to support a UM claim for a hit and run.
• Your UM claim does not count as an at-fault claim and should not raise your premiums.

Proving Fault in Colorado

Colorado is an at-fault state that uses negligence principles. To hold the other driver responsible, you must show:

• The other driver owed you a duty of care on the road
• They breached that duty through their actions or inaction
• Their breach directly caused your injuries or property damage
• You suffered actual damages as a result

Common Forms of Negligence

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
• Unsafe lane changes
• Following too closely (tailgating)
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Distracted driving (texting, phone use)
• Road rage

Do not admit fault at the scene. Statements like "I didn't see you" or "I'm sorry" can be used against you in both criminal and civil proceedings.

Legal Defenses for Hit and Run Charges

Several defenses may apply depending on the circumstances:

Fear for Personal Safety

If remaining at the scene would have placed you in danger of death, injury, or further property damage, leaving may be justified. You must report to law enforcement as soon as possible and document the threat.

Incapacitation

If you were injured in the crash and physically unable to stop or provide information, this can serve as a defense.

Left to Seek Help

If you left the scene specifically to find medical assistance for the victim and returned promptly, this may reduce or eliminate liability.

Lack of Knowledge

If you genuinely did not know an accident occurred (for example, a minor contact at highway speed), the prosecution must prove you knew or should have known about the collision.

What to Do After an Accident in Colorado

If You Are the Driver

1. Stop immediately at the scene or as close as safely possible.
2. Move your vehicle out of traffic flow if the accident involves only property damage.
3. Do not move your vehicle if there are injuries or a death, unless law enforcement instructs you to.
4. Call 911 for any injuries.
5. Render reasonable assistance to injured persons.
6. Exchange information: name, address, registration, insurance, and driver's license.
7. Report to law enforcement if no officer is present.
8. Give immediate notice of the crash location to the nearest police authority, as CRS 42-4-1606 requires.
9. Contact your insurance company promptly.
10. Speak with an attorney before making detailed statements beyond the basic required information.

If You Are the Victim

1. Call 911 and request both police and medical assistance.
2. Document everything: take photographs of the scene, vehicle damage, and your injuries.
3. Write down or photograph the fleeing vehicle's license plate, make, model, and color.
4. Collect contact information from any witnesses.
5. Look for nearby surveillance cameras or dashcam footage.
6. Seek medical treatment promptly and keep all records and receipts.
7. File a police report as soon as possible.
8. Contact your insurance company to file a UM claim.
9. Consult with an attorney about both criminal victim rights and civil claims.

Notable Colorado Hit and Run Cases

Parafencer Death Case (2024)

A driver was sentenced to prison in May 2025 for a 2024 hit and run that killed a beloved parafencer in Lakewood. The driver faced charges including leaving the scene of a crash involving death, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance, and driving after revocation. The case showed how prosecutors combine hit and run with evidence tampering and drug charges for longer sentences.

Commerce City Teen Death (2024)

Two people were arrested in August 2025 in connection with a 2024 fatal hit and run that killed a teenager in Commerce City. The case resulted in a seven-year prison sentence, illustrating the serious consequences for fatal hit and run incidents.

16th Street Mall Incident (2025)

In October 2025, a pedestrian was struck and killed near Denver's 16th Street Mall. A suspect was arrested just hours later and three blocks away. The rapid arrest demonstrated how urban surveillance and witness reports help police identify hit and run suspects quickly.

I-25 Fatal Hit and Run (2025)

In July 2025, Denver police arrested a suspect for a deadly hit and run on Interstate 25. Interstate incidents are often harder to investigate because of high speeds and multiple lanes, making the arrest notable.

Colorado Crash Statistics

Colorado has seen troubling trends in traffic safety:

• Pedestrian crashes in Denver: In 2024, 590 crashes involved pedestrians, representing nearly 4% of all accidents in the city.
• Pedestrian fatalities: Colorado recorded 47 pedestrian fatalities in the first half of 2024, a 24% decrease from the same period in 2023.
• Four-year trend: Auto-pedestrian deaths increased for four consecutive years statewide before showing improvement in 2024.
• Vision Zero: Denver tracks fatal and serious injury crashes through its Vision Zero initiative to identify and implement safety improvements.

More Colorado Laws

• Colorado Car Accident Laws
• Colorado Statute of Limitations

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the statute of limitations for hit and run in Colorado?

Criminal: misdemeanor hit and run (a class 1 or 2 misdemeanor traffic offense) must be charged within 1 year; felony hit and run involving serious bodily injury within 3 years; leaving the scene of a fatal accident within 5 years; vehicular homicide and fatal leaving the scene charged together from the same episode within 10 years. Civil: personal injury claims must be filed within 3 years; wrongful death within 2 years (or 4 years if the death resulted from a hit-and-run vehicular homicide).

Is it a crime if I stop and help but was at fault for the accident?

No. Under CRS 42-4-1601(1.5), if you stop and fulfill all statutory requirements (exchanging information, rendering aid, reporting), you have committed no hit and run offense. Civil liability for causing the accident is a separate matter from criminal hit and run charges.

How quickly must I report an accident in Colorado?

Immediately. CRS 42-4-1606 requires a driver in a crash involving injury, death, or any property damage to give immediate notice of the crash location to the nearest police authority after meeting the duties to stop and exchange information. Officers who investigate or are notified of the crash then submit their report to the Department of Revenue within five days.

Can I be charged with hit and run if I did not cause the accident?

Yes. Hit and run charges are based on leaving the scene without fulfilling your legal obligations, not on who caused the collision. Every driver involved in an accident has a duty to stop and comply with CRS 42-4-1601 and 42-4-1603.

Does my insurance cover me if I am a hit and run victim?

If you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, your policy treats a hit and run driver as an uninsured motorist. UM coverage can pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Colorado law requires insurers to include UM coverage unless you decline it in writing.